Hope, Love, Peace, and Joy

During Advent, many families around the world have an Advent Wreath in their homes.  The Advent Wreath represents the four weeks preceding Christmas.  Each week one of the candles is lit until the fourth. The four candles of the Advent Wreath are said to symbolize the four virtues of hope, love, joy, and peace.  An Advent practice could be a person taking time to reflect how they will demonstrate the specific week’s virtue so as to serve a world in need.  Here are a few examples:

Hope – visit a nursing home, participate in a project for the homeless

Love – send a note to a family member or friend that is struggling,

Joy – volunteer to assist at a shelter, donate to charities providing toys for the little ones

Peace – create a peace pause moment in your daily routines, decide to be a peaceful presence