Two Lights

The second week of Advent has arrived!

This week we light two candles. In various denominations and faiths, the second candle usually means hope or peace: Janite Sunwheels (Advent wreaths) light a yellow candle for hope; the Lady of Light Chantry marks the second week with a blue candle for peace (see here for more on candle colours in Advent: https://silverscripture.blogspot.com/2020/11/advent-week-1-rejoice.html); Catholics see the second week as one for peace and different groups can assign different Biblical stories to each candle (the second is often the Bethlehem candle, about the preparations of Mary & Joseph make ahead of Christ's birth).

How was your first week of Advent? The weather here has been very mild; it hardly feels like December! Are you all set for Nativity or is there a lot left to prepare? I know a lot of regions have been worried about new variants and travel restrictions -- hope you all are well and safe this winter!!

Have you taken on any disciplines or prayers for this season? Please feel free to share your progress and any challenges! This year, we decided as a family to make a small batch of cookies at the start of each week of Advent (this week is snickerdoodles!) since we tend to make heaps and heaps of cookies right around Nativity and then never eat them all because we're all stuffed. 😆 So for me, I didn't take on the traditional discipline of no sweets (or, rather, made an exception that I'll have some on the first day of each week of Advent!). I've been meaning to try the different Nativity meditations with the Rosary -- I'll let you know how that's going soon.

Janite Yellow Candle of Hope:

https://mydevotionstodea.wordpress.com/2016/12/04/sunwheel-the-yellow-candle-of-hope/

All posts on Janite candles & meanings:

https://mydevotionstodea.wordpress.com/category/sunwheel/

Lady of Light Chantry Advent Candle Colours and Meanings (please scroll far down the page to get past the links and header to the post itself):

https://deamatronablog.wordpress.com/candelabra-lighting-the-sun-wheel/