The Third Candle of Advent

[The Lord says] “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.” (Isaiah 65:17-19 ESV).

 

Today we begin the week looking at the Third Candle of Advent. This is the candle of “joy.” As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of his birth. Our reading today comes from the Prophet Isaiah as he proclaims the words of the Lord. The gladness and joy he speaks of is the coming of Jesus. This fact has given this candle another name for some as it has been known as the “Shepherd Candle.” This candle reflects the joy that comes through Jesus’ arrival, and through the salvation he has gifted us. 

 

In many advent wreaths the color of this candle is a rose color rather than the deeper violet of the other three. Of course, if the fifth candle is used, it is always white as it is representative of Jesus and called “the Christ Candle.” While tradition differs among various practices, they all agree the root of the celebration is in the joy the shepherds felt at the announcement of the Messiah’s arrival. The Apostle Paul gives us a sense of this joy in his letter to the Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:4-5 ESV).

 

In other words, this week celebrates the joy of Christ’s coming to earth. We should also note that not every church uses a pink candle to represent this day. Some will use a violet one, just like all the others. Violet tends to have a somber nature, and it also reflects royalty, acknowledging Jesus’ kingship. No matter what color of candle a church displays on that third Sunday, we should desire to highlight the importance of joy in advent season. During a time where depression is at an all-time high and people seem to be in the most despair, this candle offers a bright light during a dark time. 

 

We can learn from the shepherds experience at this point. When they received the good news about Christ’s birth (cf. Luke 2:8-20) it was during the middle of the night, the darkest time, when they encountered angels. Be sure we have One so much greater than an angel who lives within us. Celebrate that great joy!