Advent Light

Advent is one of my favorite seasons of the church year. As the trees finish dropping their leaves, the weather grows colder, and darkness falls earlier each afternoon, I am drawn to the deep blue color of the season, the warmth of candlelight, and the seasonal rituals that help me slow down and pause, if only for a moment, during a very busy time of year.

In my family, growing up, we always had an Advent wreath on our dining room table in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  After Sunday dinner, we’d light the candles and read a familiar Advent Scripture—from the prophets or part of the Nativity story. Kevin and I continued this practice with our daughters, as they grew up.  Even now that they are grown and far from home, we still light the candles with our Sunday dinner—and sometimes through the week, as well. There is something very peaceful about dimming the lights and dining by candlelight. It helps to narrow my focus away from the noise and busy-ness of the world outside, to be more fully aware of the simple blessings of home and the people gathered at our table. 

The circle of greens in an Advent wreath symbolizes the continuity of life lived in Christ, but you don’t need an actual wreath to keep this practice. Take four candles—red in the German tradition, purple and pink in another Western tradition, blue in a more contemporary tradition—and light them through the Sundays of Advent, lighting another candle each week. Throughout our Scriptures—from God’s people meant to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6) to the light shining in the darkness, which the darkness cannot overcome (John 1:5)—light is a favorite biblical image for God’s presence and God’s purpose. Let the flickering light of the Advent candles pull you away from your to-do lists and whatever breaking news is on fire, to remind you that God is with us, already, even now as we await the fulfillment of God’s promised justice.  

Join us on the Sundays of Advent for worship at 9:30 as we light the candles of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest,

may your gifts to us be blest.

Keep us always in your sight,

be our joy, our hearts’ delight.

Amen.

With Advent expectation,

Pastor Sue