A Concord Pastor Comments: The Fourth Candle on the Advent Wreath

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent we light a candle which on many wreaths will burn for only a few days. The vigil of Christmas begins after sundown on Tuesday. In our parish the Advent wreath includes a fifth candle for Christmas but through the Christmas season we continue to light the Advent candles as well, reminding us that we still wait the coming, THE Advent, of Christ in glory.

The blessing we sing at the end of Mass in Advent includes these words:
May the blessing of Christ
whose coming we celebrate,
whose Advent we await,
be upon us,
now and for ever...

At Christmas we celebrate Christ's coming at his birth but we still await his great Advent, his coming at the end of time.

With the lighting of this fourth candle, let us pray for perseverance, for the grace to be faithful in good times and in bad, in season and out of season, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ:

In the dark of night, Lord, give us perseverance...
In the dead of winter, Lord, give us perseverance...
In the heat of day, Lord, give us perseverance...
On the uphill side, Lord, give us perseverance...
When the odds are against us, give us perseverance...
When others have abandoned us, give us perseverance...
When we do not know the way, give us perseverance...
When we cannot find your face, give us perseverance...
When the burdens seem too great, give us perseverance...
When we suffer for your name, Lord, give us perseverance...
When we hunger for your word, Lord, give us perseverance...
When we thirst for your joy, Lord, give us perseverance...
When trust and hope unravel, Lord, give us perseverance...
When our faith wears thin, Lord, give us perseverance...
When one more step seems just too much, Lord, give us perseverance...

Send your Spirit, Lord, to strengthen our hearts,
to give us new purpose, to stir up our faith,
to light our path, to show us the way and,
to give us perseverance, Lord...

Come, Lord Jesus, come!
Amen.