Advent is coming!

Christ the King Sunday is over. As much as I like Christ the King (there's such jolly good hymns on that Sunday), that means Advent is coming!

I just love Advent.

The liturgical green of ordinary time is finally put away for a good while. I like Ordinary time green, but it is up for half the year and it gets old. What we need is another mini-liturgical season in the middle of Ordinary time. I am not in charge of such things, so I guess I have to stick it out with the green.

Advent is purple, although a lot of churches are increasingly using a darker (royal) blue to differentiate it from Lent, although Lent is technically violet. I sort of like the Advent purple myself as Royal Blue is technically reserved for Christ the King. Although most churches don't have the money for a vestment set that is only used on one Sunday a year, white has become the standard for Christ the King. Likewise, a brighter blue is reserved for Our Lady.

I had to get the Advent wreath together today. That meant cleaning off the candle tapers (still waxy from last Advent. I was not happy about that because the wax made the metal start to oxidize. (note to self: have come to Jesus meeting conversation with Altar Guild about this.)

I also had to go to the Church Supply place and get a fresh batch of Advent Candles. (It's a Catholic store, so I didn't get asked if I wanted blue Advent candles.) This store is known around the office as "Holy Hardware." Icons, crucifixes, incense, candles, rosaries: they have it all (Think Anglo-catholic heaven).

We also had to work on the bulletin. Advent hymns are great too. Now I am humming "Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel!"

I love Advent. (Now I am just getting paid to do it.)

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