Light is an astonishing gift. Without light it becomes difficult to find our way as we walk. Without light we cannot see what we are doing. Without light most seeds could not move upward through the darkness of soil in order to begin the next process of growth. Without light we would not have flowers or grass or leaves or fruit or vegetables. Without light from
fire we humans would have died off from cold and been unable to cook food. Without light human existence is virtually impossible.
In modern living it is extremely easy to forget how essential light is because it is easily obtained: flip a switch and rooms are flooded with light. Yet through most of the history of human existence light was a very precious commodity: there were no switches to flip, coals within the hearth were tended diligently and candles required labor to make and the materials used to create them were limited.
Our Advent journey we reminds us to honor Light not only as an essential ingredient of living but Light as the fulfillment of God's promise for living as spiritual beings.
An Advent wreath is the symbol of using light as a means of remembering that God's promise was not only fulfilled but continues to be provided so that each of us may grow and live from the Light of God's love.
The wreath is generally a circle: God's love and presence is eternal without beginning or end. Most often the wreath is made of pine or fir branches: the tree that remains green with life even through the barren time of winter. On the wreath are placed four candles; three purple and one pink with a fifth white candle in the center called the Christ candle. A purple candle is lit during weeks one, two and four. The pink candle of rejoicing that the time is coming nearer is lit on the third Sunday and the Christ candle is lit Christmas day: the promise has been fulfilled as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The candle lit during this first week is called the Prophet's candle and honors Isaiah who was given the call to proclaim the vision God gave him of a Messiah who would come and rescue the children of Israel and deliver them from oppression. "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine." Isaiah 9:1.
This promise of God fulfilled in Jesus continues to be fulfilled through all of time, including today, by the grace entering our lives whenever we take a tiny step of faith and turn our hearts in faith to God's presence: the Light of our Spirt.
Turning to the Light can be done in very small gestures, in fact sometimes faith can only come alive in tiny steps. I have had times in my life of great darkness: grief when a person whom I loved died and times when I lost a piece of my life that I had thought essential to being who I am. During those times it was difficult to continue believing in the Goodness of God. I did not exactly lose my faith, but I had a very, very difficult time SEEING any light.
Part of my personality is the need to make things concrete and when I am in a time of darkness - or that awful 'dusk' where I am jaded; that is I am weary because life seems to be mostly task and duty, I especially need concrete actions to remain conscious of God's presence. During the first time of awful darkness two actions became very important. One was getting up before dawn and watching tendrils of light seep through the darkness of night. Slowly over many years I learned that Light ALWAYS overcomes darkness. My only part in this grand daily miracle was a willingness to get up, watch, and rejoice in another promise of life fulfilled.
The other action I love is candle lighting. There is something very powerful and potent about striking a match and holding it to a wick. Consciously holding my lit match to the wick and offering what is most pressing in my heart, I see the wick receive what I offer and burst into flame: a concrete action affirming my faith that God is present and receives my words.
So, if you are inclined you might gather what is needed to create an Advent wreath and put it in a place where you are able to light a candle affirming both the promise of God fulfilled in the world and the willingness to believe that the promise of God's love and light is fulfilled in your life. If a wreath isn't on the agenda for this year I would suggest getting a candle and dedicating it to this season of Advent and taking maybe 10 minutes each day to sit with a flickering flame and believe that God's promise of life and light IS fulfilled in your life in the same way God's life has remained alive and personal through all of human time.
I apologize for this being so long today ...tomorrow MUCH shorter - I promise.
In modern living it is extremely easy to forget how essential light is because it is easily obtained: flip a switch and rooms are flooded with light. Yet through most of the history of human existence light was a very precious commodity: there were no switches to flip, coals within the hearth were tended diligently and candles required labor to make and the materials used to create them were limited.
Our Advent journey we reminds us to honor Light not only as an essential ingredient of living but Light as the fulfillment of God's promise for living as spiritual beings.
An Advent wreath is the symbol of using light as a means of remembering that God's promise was not only fulfilled but continues to be provided so that each of us may grow and live from the Light of God's love.
The wreath is generally a circle: God's love and presence is eternal without beginning or end. Most often the wreath is made of pine or fir branches: the tree that remains green with life even through the barren time of winter. On the wreath are placed four candles; three purple and one pink with a fifth white candle in the center called the Christ candle. A purple candle is lit during weeks one, two and four. The pink candle of rejoicing that the time is coming nearer is lit on the third Sunday and the Christ candle is lit Christmas day: the promise has been fulfilled as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The candle lit during this first week is called the Prophet's candle and honors Isaiah who was given the call to proclaim the vision God gave him of a Messiah who would come and rescue the children of Israel and deliver them from oppression. "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine." Isaiah 9:1.
This promise of God fulfilled in Jesus continues to be fulfilled through all of time, including today, by the grace entering our lives whenever we take a tiny step of faith and turn our hearts in faith to God's presence: the Light of our Spirt.
Turning to the Light can be done in very small gestures, in fact sometimes faith can only come alive in tiny steps. I have had times in my life of great darkness: grief when a person whom I loved died and times when I lost a piece of my life that I had thought essential to being who I am. During those times it was difficult to continue believing in the Goodness of God. I did not exactly lose my faith, but I had a very, very difficult time SEEING any light.
Part of my personality is the need to make things concrete and when I am in a time of darkness - or that awful 'dusk' where I am jaded; that is I am weary because life seems to be mostly task and duty, I especially need concrete actions to remain conscious of God's presence. During the first time of awful darkness two actions became very important. One was getting up before dawn and watching tendrils of light seep through the darkness of night. Slowly over many years I learned that Light ALWAYS overcomes darkness. My only part in this grand daily miracle was a willingness to get up, watch, and rejoice in another promise of life fulfilled.
The other action I love is candle lighting. There is something very powerful and potent about striking a match and holding it to a wick. Consciously holding my lit match to the wick and offering what is most pressing in my heart, I see the wick receive what I offer and burst into flame: a concrete action affirming my faith that God is present and receives my words.
So, if you are inclined you might gather what is needed to create an Advent wreath and put it in a place where you are able to light a candle affirming both the promise of God fulfilled in the world and the willingness to believe that the promise of God's love and light is fulfilled in your life. If a wreath isn't on the agenda for this year I would suggest getting a candle and dedicating it to this season of Advent and taking maybe 10 minutes each day to sit with a flickering flame and believe that God's promise of life and light IS fulfilled in your life in the same way God's life has remained alive and personal through all of human time.
I apologize for this being so long today ...tomorrow MUCH shorter - I promise.
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