Monday, December 8, 2025

 

 

From Heart Song by Melissa Guenthner, Illustrations by Lorraine Shulba
©2024 Melissa Guenthner, used with permission
 

Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  
I hope this Advent reflection finds you filled with hope and enjoying a moment of peace. My family spent time last weekend setting up our tree, reminiscing about the times and places we’ve collected various ornaments, and enjoying the extra cozy feeling of a living room decorated for Christmas. I have plans to make, commitments to keep and cookies to bake. I’ll admit that sometimes my attitude is more I have to than I get to do all of these things, but gratitude is a practice I’m working to cultivate. In a busy and joyful season, it can be easy to take things for granted.

What happens when all of our carefully laid plans fall to pieces? Or harm befalls those we love? Or we feel hopeless that justice will ever come? This season brings very real challenges for many. And not the challenge of finding the perfect gift, or baking the perfect butter tart, or remembering lines for the play. Hospitals are over full of people in need of healing, while others are shut in and lonely in their homes. There are holiday tables with people missing from them, and those who have no table at all. Let us look up from our own plans long enough to notice when we’re called to step out of them, and into the work that must be done as God’s hands and feet in this world. 

To borrow from Gillian’s sermon yesterday:  
 
We are called in this Advent season to this radical act of hope. A hope that does not just wish for something better, but that comes out of the cities and into the wilderness, acknowledging its sins. A hope that looks for the change to come not just in the world, but even in ourselves. That says to God, Here I am, may it be with me according to your word. Hope is not a strength of will… hope is a gift. One we should ask for and pray for and long for, from the God of Hope. the One for whom we wait; the One with whom we wait.

Challenging times are when hope does His best work. We can take comfort that even the darkness is not dark to Him (Psalm 138:12), and He will strengthen the feeble hands, and steady the knees that give way, and say to those with fearful hearts, be strong, do not fear, your God will come. (Isaiah 35:3-4).

If this Advent season finds you in a dark place, please know that you are not alone. You are seen and known, held and loved. The God of Hope is with you, and as his hands and feet we’ll be there for you, too.

May gladness and joy overtake you, while sorrow and sighing flee away (Isaiah 35: 10)

Jennifer Griffioen
 
 
Glory in the Darkest Place   Jonathan Priday 

 

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