The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet in the way of peace. Luke 1:78-79

In these darkest of days, it is now the season of Avent.

Advent. A time of waiting, anticipating, preparing, hoping. But, also a time of responding & acting through listening, praying, and acting.

What was it like for the people more than 2000 years ago to wonder if God heard them and saw them? Slowly it dawned on some that God loved them enough to not only hear their needs, but to come into their world and provide a new way of being. HOPE is real.

In these darkest of days, how do you see God’s great light dawning?

Sunday we lit the first Advent candle, the Hope (also called Prophecy) Candle. As our one candle flickers forth its light, there are candles across the world, shining their light into the darkness May we be aware of the global reality of Advent. How can we pray, listen and act on behalf of people throughout our world that they too may experience hope that is real?

Jesus is the true light – the Life-Light- that has blazed into the world and the darkness CANNOT put out the light of Jesus. The first candle of Advent invites us to hope.