The Advent
wreath, or Advent crown, is a Christian tradition that symbolizes
the passage of the four weeks of Advent in
the liturgical calendar of
the Western church. It
is traditionally a Lutheran practice,
although it has spread to many other Christian
denominations.
It
is usually a horizontal evergreen wreath
with four candles,
sometimes with a fifth, white candle in the centre. Beginning with the First
Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading, devotional
time and prayers. An
additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday
before Christmas,
all four candles are lit. Many Advent wreaths include a fifth, Christ candle
which is lit at Christmas Eve or
Christmas Day. The custom is observed both in family settings and at public
church services.
At
Marsden Road, we have been observing this tradition over past weeks. Lighting
first the Candle of Hope, we signalled our hope
and expectation that as we celebrate the coming of the Word into the world, so
at this Christmas, that Hope will be renewed.
The next week we lit the Candle
of Peace, Peace that only our God can bring. This week
we lit the Candle of Joy.
Joy
is hard to come by. We may be pleased, elated, even happy, but Joy is something
else and it was this that Sandra spoke about in the service she led on Sunday.
In
her talk to the children, Sandra raised the possibility that that we may be
known as the “Peacemaker” or the “Joyful”. This world can only get a hint of what God
has in store for us if it is reflected in the people who claim God as their
Lord.
I
remember someone saying something along the lines of Christians are people who
should be making others wonder about why they
are hopeful, peacemakers,
and joyful. We should be making others curious
about our difference from the rest of the world. But are we?
Sandra
spoke about an experience she had in the course of her working day. She was
attending a lunch and found herself at a table of rowdy, noisy, happy, elderly
folk who were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Across the room was a table of
other elderly folk, who were described to her as the “good people”, the people
who went to chapel and bible-study: all looking as though they were witnessing
the worst disaster imaginable. No joy there to make people curious about where
it was coming from.
Sandra
raised the point that if we are the bearers of the Hope and Peace that is the
promise of Christmas, and know the Light brought into the world at that
Christmas time so long ago, surely we will also know Joy.
Sandra
told of experiencing that Joy during walks where she can hear and feel Creation
speaking to her. She repeated such an experience with the blooming of the
Jacaranda trees.
I
know what Sandra is talking about. Jacarandas don't do it for me but there are
times when I know God is present, simply through the surrounding created world.
Even parts of the world in which some cannot see life, such as mighty cliffs or
the beauty of some human creation (the work of a God-given gift) I can sense
the divine reaching out to us all. It makes me want to sing (better done within
though, with my voice).
Sandra’s
message here is to enjoy what we have been given. Don't take anything for
granted.
I
know many people who look for joy through stuff they can buy at a shop, the
stuff that gets old and needs replacing. And all the while they have gifts in
abundance which can bring such joy. But we have to do more than just look
around. We need to see what we are offered.
An
important alert that Sandra gave us is that we are to be
witnesses to the Good News. We are not just to be retelling history.
There must be something of truth that shines
from us that witnesses to what the gift that came on the first Christmas can do
in a person’s life. Otherwise, why bother?
There are many good stories but what we have is more than a story, we
have an invitation to live anew.
Sandra
reminded us of how certain John the Baptist was of the One who was coming and
the change that Man would bring. Are we? Do we have that life within us that
makes people wonder what has reawakened us to Hope, Peace and Joy? Are we bearers of Hope, Peace and Joy?
Sandra
challenged us: Let us be all that we are meant to be at
this season and always.
Amen
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