Today\u2019s Question: The Spirit of Advent<\/strong><\/p>\n Advent is a time of anticipation and joyful waiting for the celebration of the Incarnation of our Lord at Christmas. The nativity scene for St. Peter\u2019s square arrives in the coming days and most of our churches are already decorated for the season. Part of the joy of Advent is the decorations, the Advent hymns and carols, and the general spirit in the air. Central to the spirit of Advent in many of our parishes is the advent wreath. Does your community put up an advent wreath? If so, how does your community introduce it on the first Sunday of Advent?<\/strong><\/p>\n But the advent wreath is not the only symbol of the season. Often along with the advent wreath come the door wreaths, garlands, and trees. Does your community put up any other decorations? What principles guide the way your community puts up its advent decorations?<\/strong><\/p>\n However, decorations are not the only thing which creates and fosters the advent spirit. The music, prayers, and other variants for the season also provide wonderful opportunities for creating the proper spirit of the season. What things does your community do to keep the joyful anticipation of the season alive? Please comment below.<\/strong><\/p>\n Moderator\u2019s note: \u201cNon solum\u201d is a feature at <\/em>Pray Tell for our readership community to discuss practical liturgical issues. The title comes from article 11 of the Vatican II liturgy constitution <\/em>Sacrosanctum Concilium: \u201cTherefore there is to be vigilance among holy pastors that in liturgical action <\/em>not only<\/em><\/strong> are laws for valid and licit celebration to be observed, but that the faithful should participate knowingly, actively, and fruitfully.\u201d (Ideo sacris pastoribus advigilandum est ut in actione liturgica <\/em>non solum<\/em><\/strong> observentur leges ad validam et licitam celebrationem, sed ut fideles scienter, actuose et fructuose eandem participent.) May the series contribute to good liturgical practice \u2013 <\/em>not only<\/em><\/strong> following the law, but especially grasping the spirit of the liturgy!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Advent is a time of anticipation and joyful waiting for the celebration of the Incarnation of our Lord at Christmas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[91,3813],"tags":[2560],"class_list":["post-23017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-liturgical-year","category-non-solum","tag-non-solum"],"yoast_head":"\n