The Advent season marks the start of a new liturgical year in the Church. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (the Sunday nearest November 30) and ends on Christmas Eve. This liturgical season isn’t just a countdown to Christmas Day but a time of waiting, anticipation, and preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be full of holiday preparations, from shopping and sending cards to attending parties and concerts. But the Church invites us into a different season of preparation.
Every Sunday of Advent, a candle is lit on the Advent wreath. Each of the Advent candles represents a different virtue: hope, peace, joy, and love. Devoting time to prayer during the weeks of Advent is a common practice, and these virtues help provide a focus for that prayer.
Below, you’ll find Scriptures and prayer practices based on these virtues that you can use in your own prayer this Advent season, to help you focus on each of these weekly themes throughout Advent.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
Visio Divina: This beautiful meditative practice combines prayer and sacred art (learn more about Visio Divina here). Join host Katie Weiss in this 20-minute reflection on Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting, The Annunciation. Watch now!
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
From the Jubilee Year prayer by Pope Francis
I plead with you — never, ever give up on hope; never doubt, never tire and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.
– St. John Paul II
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. – John 14:27
Visio Divina: Katie Weiss leads us in a brief meditation on Philippe de Champaigne's painting The Dream of St. Joseph. Watch now.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who is called the Prince of Peace,
Who is Yourself our peace and reconciliation,
Who so often said, “Peace to you,” grant us peace.
Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice,
and brotherly love.
Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace.
Enlighten our rulers that they may
guarantee and defend the great gift of peace.
May all peoples on the earth
become as brothers and sisters.
May longed for peace blossom forth
and reign always over us all.
Amen.
Pope St. John Paul II’s Prayer for Peace
Abide in peace, banish cares, take no account of all that happens, and you will serve God according to His good pleasure and rest in Him.
– St. John of the Cross
You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. – Psalm 16:11
Visio Divina: Contemplate the beginning of the Holy Family in this meditation on Luca Giordano's painting The Marriage of the Virgin. Watch now.
Star of the new evangelization,
help us to bear radiant witness to communion,
service, ardent and generous faith,
justice and love of the poor,
that the joy of the Gospel
may reach to the ends of the earth,
illuminating even the fringes of our world.
Mother of the living Gospel,
wellspring of happiness for God's little ones,
pray for us.
Amen. Alleluia!
Pope Francis’ prayer for the joy of the Gospel
Joy, with peace, is the sister of charity. Serve the Lord with laughter.
– St. Padre Pio
God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:8b–10
Visio Divina: Anticipate the birth of Love himself with this meditation on the painting Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerard van Honthorst. Watch now.
God, my Father,
may I love You in all things and above all things.
May I reach the joy which You have prepared for me in
Heaven.
Nothing is good that is against Your Will,
and all that is good comes from Your Hand.
Place in my heart a desire to please You
and fill my mind with thoughts of Your Love,
so that I may grow in Your Wisdom and enjoy Your Peace.
Prayer to Love God Above All Things
Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven.
– St. Fulgentius of Ruspe
The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. – Luke 2:10–12
O Father, in your Truth (that is to say, in your Son, humbled, needy and homeless) you have humbled me. He was humbled in the womb of the Virgin, needy in the manger of the sheep, and homeless on the wood of the Cross. Nothing so humbles the proud sinner as the humility of Jesus Christ’s humanity.
– St. Anthony of Padua
Dearly beloved, today our Saviour is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness. No one is shut out from this joy; all share the same reason for rejoicing. Our Lord, victor over sin and death, finding no man free from sin, came to free us all.
– St. Leo the Great
We wish you a blessed Advent season and Merry Christmas from all of us here at CatholicTV!
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