Hope, Peace, Joy, Love
A Reflection by Darlene Carlson
This week, Darlene Carlson explains and invites us to the ritual of lighting an Advent wreath. There is one candle for each of the four weeks leading to Christmas representing hope, peace, joy, and love. If an Advent wreath is not part of your tradition, you can use any candles as a ritual to open your heart to these gifts. She invites us to ignite the flame within you as you light your candles with renewed meaning:
Ignite Hope. This is not the hope for a perfect holiday. It is a hope grounded in trust, the theological hope that reaches for something we already, if imperfectly, possess: the love of God. This hope is so infinite we cannot be alone in it. We hope with each other and foster it with gratitude for life on this journey, a journey not just to Christmas but to everlasting life with God; a journey that began before we were born; the journey home. Open your heart to the gift of hope.
Ignite Peace. Like the tides, like the seasons, worldly peace comes and goes, yet there is a deeper peace within you. To connect with this peace, I invite you to try this ritual: Connect with something that has always brought you peace, a “piece of peace,” an object or picture or a thought. Place it in your hands. Take time to cherish this piece of peace, breathing in the goodness and exhaling it into your home. Shower it with gratitude, creating a cycle of giving and receiving this peace you trust. Open your heart to the gift of peace.
Ignite Joy. Joy does not deny the darkness we know is there. Rather, joy looks for the light: the helpers; a friend who brings comfort; the sun shining through the clouds; seeing a loved one; the purr of your cat or wag of your dog’s tail; smelling the air after a fresh rain; the quiet beauty of fresh fallen snow coating a cold landscape; the sound of waves crashing on the beach; the birdsong; a smile; waking to a prayer on Christmas morning. Choose simple joy this Advent, one filled with promise and assurance within your being. Open your heart to the gift of joy.
Ignite Love. God waits for us tirelessly and without reservation, present even when we are not aware. When I feel overwhelmed with waiting and questions of what is to come, I pray for my compass to point to the North Star, not the anchor in our sky, but the anchor in our souls, the Holy One who is always there. Lighting the candle of love comes in our final week of Advent as we welcome the new season of Christmas, a season of the purest sign of love God gave to us, His Son, our greatest gift. Christ’s love for you is in the wait, guiding you, and never giving up. Open your heart to the gift of love.
These gifts are yours now and forevermore: hope, peace, joy, and love, all wrapped in trust and lighting the way.