The Advent Wreath

The symbolism of the Advent wreath (on the Table) is beautiful.

The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life.
It signifies victory over persecution and suffering. The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns.
Any pine cones or seeds symbolize life and resurrection.
The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ.
All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts our immortality and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death, and resurrection.

The four candles represent the four Sundays of Advent. The progressive lighting of the candles every Advent Sunday symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the short time we have left to prepare for his second coming to judge the living and the dead.
The light of the candles signifies Christ, the Light of the world.

In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time on the four Sundays, after the blessing of the food.