Each Sunday of Advent, we light one of the four candles on the wreath. Each of the colored flames represents an aspect of the reality that was inaugurated by Christ two thousand years ago and will be fully realized at His second coming. On Christmas Eve, we light the white candle, which represents Jesus Christ.
Hope
This week, we kindle the Flame of Hope. The Christian Hope is lofty: a world without death or sorrow, without pain or violence, where eternal joy abounds in the presence of the King of Kings. Some may call this impossible; some may suggest that we set our sights on something attainable. Yet we cling to this bold expectation because it is not our own. Long before it stirred in our hearts, the renewal of all things has been God’s vision for the world.
And so, we light this candle, awaiting Christ’s Second Advent. Certain that when He returns, God’s hope will turn into sight.
Peace
This week, we light the candle of peace. God’s peace reaches from the smallest details of our lives to the greatest corners of creation. In giving Himself to us, Emmanuel brings peace within ourselves, with one another, and to the whole world.
As we receive Christ, we make peace with the beautiful imperfections that shape us, even as we are perfected into His likeness. As we receive Christ, we embrace peace with our neighbors, knowing His love bridges every divide. And as we receive Christ, we reject the ways of violence that dominate this world, holding fast to the promise of His Kingdom of Peace—a kingdom that is both here and yet to come, a Kingdom that will be fully realized in His Second Advent.
Joy
On this third week of Advent, as we light the candle of Joy, consider these words from C.S. Lewis:
"While we are in this world, cursed with labour, hemmed round with necessities, tripped up with frustrations, doomed to perpetual plannings, puzzlings, and anxieties, a heavenly quality such as joy struggles to break through. On this side of eternity, your best chance to experience those things is through activities that might seem trivial or frivolous. Think about it: unlike most things on earth, the life of Heaven is not means to an end, but the End itself. It is utterly spontaneous and free, while still in perfect harmony with the most intricate and beautiful order. Where, in our daily lives, can we even begin to imagine such a thing? Our loves here are fragile, and even the spiritual path we walk can feel like a constant struggle. But even in this struggle, God grants us moments of rest, glimpses of what is to come.
But it's not usually through our serious, important tasks that we catch a glimpse of Heaven. Instead, it is when we are off the clock, in moments of festivity and delight, that Heaven’s joy breaks through. Down here, things like games, dances, laughter may seem unimportant, mere distractions from the responsibilities of life. But in the upside-down reality of this world, the things that seem frivolous might be closest to what Heaven is like. For those fleeting moments of delight here will become everlasting in the life to come. And so, the joy we taste here, though fleeting, points us to the eternal reality of Heaven. Joy is the serious business of Heaven."
Love
On this fourth week of Advent, we light the candle of Love. But what really is love? No dictionary entry can fully capture what we each experience in so many different ways. Reflecting on love often leads us to conclude that it is impossible to define. Love feels as broad a term as there can be. Yet it is surprisingly narrow.
In the Christian narrative we are confronted by a deeply specific definition of love: God gave Himself to humanity. Love is nothing less than God’s self-giving. Love is the all-powerful Creator of the universe coming to dwell among His broken people. This is love.
And because this is love—because love is God’s presence among us—we can share and experience it in countless ways. Love flows from God to us, and through us to others: in acts of kindness, in moments of care, in the joy of fellowship with friends and family. And in every way, it points us to the ultimate reflection: that God is love.
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Merry Christmas
On Christmas Eve we light all the candles and share the light of the Christ candle with everyone, proclaiming that Jesus brings Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love to the whole world.
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