This week the second purple candle is lighting on our Advent wreath; the increasing light represents our growing expectation and hope and our increasing readiness to welcome Jesus into our world.
In the daily news we hear stories of homelessness, of war, of famine, of natural disasters … stories of hopelessness. At this time of the year the days are short, the dark nights long, there is a sense of desolation all around.
In contrast, our towns are festooned with decorative lights brightening up these dark evenings and reminding us that we are preparing to celebrate Christmas!
When we see these lights how often do we stop to reflect? Do the lights remind us that Jesus is the light of the world?
Advent is a time of preparation and expectation, a time to ‘prepare the way of the Lord’, a time of hope.
C.S. Lewis wrote:
"The birth of Christ is the central event in the history of the earth -- the very thing the whole story has been about."
As we move through these weeks of Advent let us try to take some time to reflect on our lives. Are there ways in which we can follow John the Baptist’s lead, be a ‘voice in the wilderness’ of the commercialism that surrounds these weeks? How can we ‘prepare a way’ for the Lord in our own hearts?
We pray:
Father in heaven, increase our faith in the wonder of the birth of your Son, Jesus;
give us the strength to grow in love and to live in the light of Christ;
send your Holy Spirit to open our hearts, that we may joyfully welcome your Son into our lives each day, and to open our eyes that they may allow us to see and to respond to the needs of those around us
Amen.
Resource from Kandle: Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin