Advent Reflections - December 5

 Hope

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” 

Isaiah 9:6-7

Reflection

There is nothing in life more cathartic than when hope is finally fulfilled. A dream is realized. A goal has been met. A vision comes to fruition. A life passion fully comes becomes attained. A love is returned. A new day begins, and a day comes to an end. Hope is the impetus that keeps us grounded and balanced with the contentment of the present moment. 

“A child is born” 

In the birth of Jesus, our Christ nature and hope came to a divine completion that can only come through a loving God that set the universe and all of creation into motion. And it is in his birth that we can still find and cling to hope today.

As we end this first week of Advent together, we reflect on the theme of hope. We remember that hope is sometimes not easy to come by. We remember that hope requires patience, trust and faith. We see that hope is often a journey, and journeys are not always without obstacles. The journey often takes time. Sometimes days. Sometimes weeks. And sometimes thousands of years. We see that it begins with a people living in a very different time and land, and ends with common people like you and me. But in the midst of waiting, hope is always fulfilled through a God who broke into history and made all things new.

End this week with the peace of knowing that God is a God who encourages hope. He joins us as we wait. He walks with us through our journey. He mourns with us in our sadness. He rejoices with us in our pleasures. He calms us in our fears. He rests with us in our peace. And He stands with us in our hope.

The divine is within us all! Immanuel!      

       

Prayer

God of all creation, we end this first week of Advent holding on to hope, knowing and accepting that hope is not always easy. We give thanks to you for fulfilling all hope; past, present and future. It is in this hope that we trust in you, and it is in this hope that we find our peace. 

Amen. Shalom. Shanti. Haribol.