Time for a New Advent?

A great discussion is taking place over at the Presbyterian Bloggers site concerning the meaning and colors of the candles in an Advent wreath. During the discussion, I offered the suggestion that we change the colors and re-code to reflect current issues in the world. Here's a rendering of what I came up with:-



The 1st Advent candle is red, representing World AIDS Day and the church's penitence for mistreating HIV/AIDS sufferers in the past.

The 2nd Advent candle is purple, symbolizing Christ's royalty and the centuries of church tradition.

The 3rd candle is pink, representing peace and cancer awareness.

The 4th candle is blue, reminding us of those who find no joy in Christmas because of loss, grief, and depression.

The 5th white candle signifies that Christ is born among us - the Christ who embraced lepers; the Head of the Church; the Healer of the Nations; and the Compassionate Shepherd of us all.