As we look ahead to the second week of Advent through the lens of eco-faith, we are struck by how important this second candle, Peace (or Prophecy in some traditions), is for the work of Creation Care. This Sunday’s Old Testament reading is Isaiah 11:1-10:

1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
    the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the spirit of counsel and might,
    the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide by what his ears hear;
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
6 The wolf shall live with the lamb,
    the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
    and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze,
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
    and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy
    on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

Aside from the lush pastoral language, how do these verses land for you, especially verses 6-10 regarding this other-worldly, seemingly impossible peace among all of Creation? Where do you find such bold visions of peace in absolute contrast to what’s happening in our world today? Who are our prophets of today regarding the state of our earth and really, the state of us?

While it is hard enough to believe that peace can come for the above-mentioned relations, it seems daring to hope or hold our breath for peace to reign in our present societies. How do we wait with Advent hope for the powerful to relinquish their influence peacefully (and we’re not just talking about the Presidential transition)? For all of the industrial complexes (agriculture, pharmaceutical, prison, military, and even non-profit) to take account of their systemic harm and oppression and dismantle themselves for healthier communities? Can we realistically expect peace, and how do we act for it?

To start, we can be inspired by the work of organizations doing this work at a global, national, and interpersonal level. The Institute for Climate and Peace is a great place to get your feet wet in the world of peace and climate mutuality. We highly recommend you look at their write-ups on Future Coastlines, Just Migration, Women & Gender Inclusion, and Positive Peacebuilding. All of these areas and more overlap and work together to produce healthier social and ecological fabrics for generative communities. Read the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to learn about the 17 targets that include both peace and various climate-related actions. And we can’t talk about peace and climate without highlighting the harm done to BIPOC communities who are usually first and most impacted by climate change...and the ways these communities have been innovating to support their survival and thriving. We’ve shared some BIPOC farmers and other community members making moves of wholeness and peace for themselves and their communities — please share any more folks you know of in the comments!

Moving to a very local and personal level, what might cultivating peace amidst a year of upheaval look like for you this Advent season? We invite you to find practices that move you forward in your peacemaking…internally, interpersonally, and at a community level. We all have to be aligned, rested, hydrated, and showing up as our full selves to face the challenges before us: both big and small. Take care and be gentle with yourself and those around you. Here are a few invitations:

Get your hands in the dirt: work on that winter garden and prep your soil for spring planting! Your body might find peace when you are more connected to the earth.
Read: We recommend My Grandmother’s Hands for learning about the somatic impacts of white supremacy and how to heal our bodies. Though not explicitly about peace or eco-care, these all overlap and we think you will find meaningful connections along the way! Or, read Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things”
Listen to music: Especially this year, Beautiful Chorus’ Hymns of Spirit album has been joyful, grounding, and calming for our bodies and spirits. And their newer released singles encourage us to Rise Up and act.
Walk a labyrinth: Seattle has many labyrinths that may be used for full-body worship and walking prayer. Here is a list that details all the labyrinths in the Seattle area. Here’s one for Bainbridge Island. Find one nearby, or take a family field trip/pilgrimage and contemplate peace and prophecy.

Do you have any other reflections or practices of peace, prophetic wisdom, or climate care this Advent season? Remember, Sabbath rest is most definitely part of this equation; cultivating and caring for your mental and spiritual health is resistance!