I love the tradition of the Advent wreath. Every year, I put four deep blue candles into my wreath and my family sings “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” as we light one candle this first week. In the words of the song, we call God to come close. We sing the story of God’s care and connection to God’s people. Each week, we’ll add another candle until all four are burning, adding their light in this darkest time of the year.
The four Sundays before Christmas eve are the Sundays of Advent. The wreath reminds us of the ever- increasing light God brings into our world. It is a season of expectation.
Advent is a time of hopeful waiting, even in difficult times. Our expectation is grounded in God’s promises to the vulnerable, the brokenhearted, to those most in need (including ourselves where we are vulnerable, broken-hearted and in need).
The candles of the Advent wreath remind us that even when the night seems deepest, when we feel most alone and without hope, the light of God’s love and God’s faithfulness will disperse the shadows. One little light makes such a huge difference when night is the deepest, longest, and most troubling.
Readings through these weeks will remind us that God’s people have been anticipating the messiah for a long time. Old Testament prophesies and John the Baptist’s preaching make it clear Jesus’ coming into the world at Bethlehem was just the first act, the beginning. We live in the middle of the action. God is in the midst of making things new. The finale will come one day when God transforms all of creation finally and fully. At that finale, there will be no more death, no more brokenness, no more sorrow, no more pain. We are looking forward to the time when all will be healed and God will bring all of creation into never-ending peace and joy.
May Advent be for you a time of hopeful waiting.
May it be a time to find peace within yourself despite unrest and upheaval in the world.
May Advent be a time to find God’s presence clearly in difficulty, struggle and pain.
May it be a time to see that God is incredibly close, always.
Advent Blessings,
Alicia