Advent has begun. The First Sunday of Advent opens the Church's new year and sets us on the road to Christmas, and it starts with a single theme: hope. This first week invites us to light one small candle against the darkness and remember why we wait, and Whom we wait for. Here is what the first week of Advent means, and how to live it well.
The first week of Advent: a season of hope
The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming." The season is four weeks of preparation for the birth of Christ, and the First Sunday of Advent also begins the Church's liturgical year. It's a fresh start, a chance to begin again.
The theme of this first week is hope. We look back to Israel's long wait for the Messiah, we look around at Christ present with us now, and we look ahead to his coming again in glory. That threefold gaze is the heart of Advent hope: Christ has come, Christ is here, Christ will come again.
The Prophet's Candle
On the first Sunday, we light the first of the wreath's four candles, a purple one, often called the Hope Candle or the Prophet's Candle. It honors the prophets, above all Isaiah, who kept hope alive through centuries of waiting by foretelling the Messiah: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:2).
That single flame, lit while three candles still stand dark, is the whole message of the week in one image. The light is small, but it is real, and it is growing. Christ, the Light of the world, is on his way.
What is Christian hope?
Hope is not the same as wishful thinking or holiday cheer. It is one of the three theological virtues, alongside faith and love, and the Catechism describes it as the confident desire for God and his promises, trusting not in ourselves but in the grace of Christ (CCC 1817). It is the virtue that keeps us going when life is hard, our eyes fixed on the God who always keeps his word.
That is the hope Advent asks us to renew. Not a hope that everything will go smoothly this December, but the deep, steady hope that God is faithful and that Christ is coming to save us.
How to live the first week of Advent
- Light the first candle on Sunday, gathered with your family, and pray together. Let that small flame open your week.
- Read the prophets. Spend a few minutes with Isaiah this week. His words of hope in the darkness are exactly what this candle celebrates.
- Make an act of hope. When worry creeps in, turn it into a short prayer: "Lord, I trust in your promises."
- Do one small act of kindness. Hope grows when we share it. Reach out to someone who is struggling, or give quietly to those in need.
A prayer for lighting the first candle
Lord God, your Church joyfully awaits the coming of its Savior, who enlightens our hearts and dispels the darkness of sin. As we light the first candle of this wreath, may its light scatter the shadows of our lives and prepare us to welcome Christ, our hope. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What does the first Advent candle mean?
The first candle stands for hope. It is lit on the First Sunday of Advent to mark the beginning of the season and our hopeful waiting for Christ.
Why is it called the Prophet's Candle?
Because it honors the Old Testament prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the coming of the Messiah and kept Israel's hope alive.
What color is the first Advent candle?
Purple (violet), the color of preparation and penance. Three of the wreath's four candles are purple; the fourth is rose.
What is the theme of the first week of Advent?
Hope, the confident expectation that God will keep his promise and that Christ, our Savior, is coming.
Advent items to begin the season
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The four weeks of Advent
- Week One: Hope – The Prophet's Candle (you are here)
- Week Two: Peace – The Bethlehem Candle
- Week Three: Joy – The Shepherd's Candle
- Week Four: Love – The Angel's Candle
