The Holy Rosary School, Asikasu – Donkorkrom in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District, Eastern Region of Ghana, has marked the Church Season of Advent in a Holy Mass in the School Assembly Hall on November 4, 2024.
Preaching during the Mass of Wednesday in the First Week of Advent, Rev. Fr. Vincent Amuzu Asafo, SVD, Assistant Cathedral Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral and Bishop Secretary, took time to school the learners, as well as the staff, on the Advent Season; the significance of the Advent Wreath and the Candles placed before the Altar.
He drew the attention of the leaners to the fact that “We are in the Season of Advent,” which is a period which prepares Christians for the celebration of Christmas.
Explaining the Advent Symbols of Candles and the Wreath paced before the Altar, the priest underlined that the four candles represent “the 400 years that the Israelites waited for Christ to be born,” and each of these will be lighted on each of the four Sundays of Advent.
He continued that the white candle which sits at the centre of the other four purple candles, referred to as the Christmas Candle or the Christ Candle will be lit on December 24, the Eve of Christmas, when Christians wait expectantly for the Child Jesus.
The Priest further underscored that the Advent Season contains four Sundays that prepare Christians for the celebration of Christmas, and “each Sunday is a representation of a hundred years”.
Explaining further, Fr. Asafo said the Pink candle, a colour which represents joy, will be lighted on the Third Sunday of Advent, “which we call the Joyous Sunday,” as a sign that the whole world is in joyous expectation of the coming of the Messiah.
For the green leaves formed in a circular shape, the priest explained that the colour green, “represents nature, something that is fresh; that has life in it, and the circular manner means that God is eternal”.
Reflecting on the Gospel of the Day (Mt 15:29-37), where Jesus, moved with compassion for the crowd, feeds them to their satisfaction, with just seven loaves of bread and few fish, after which he ordered his disciples to collect all the leftovers, the Bishop Secretary challenged the learners not to be wasteful of food, or any other resources given them, whether at the school or at home.
“Jesus is teaching us not to waste food, water, and all the resources that come into our hands,” he said, adding that “if you do that, it is sin”.
“We pray that the Lord will help us that as we use the resources He has given to us, we will also think about the poor and the needy,” he implored.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator)
