Hope & Light



Advent is upon us again.  Thanksgiving may have been late this year, but it still seems like the holiday season has been thrust upon us with a sudden shove.  I'm not ready. I'm NOT in the right frame of mind.  

 So it is important that I am reminded that this Sunday, December 1st is the Sunday of Hope.  I NEED hope.  

 For some reason or perhaps for a variety of reasons, I've been a little depressed lately.  Just feeling down.  Having this Sunday be one of hope is a reminder for me.  A much needed reminder; and I am sure that I am not the only one.  (Although it may feel like it at times.)

 Part of this Sunday's lectionary readings come from Isaiah.  "In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 

 Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!"

 For even in the darkness there is the hope of light.  And we are literally at a time of darkness.  The light fades into the west way too early and the light rises in the east much too late.  (Obviously I am not a good candidate to live in the far north.)  The trees are barren.  The ground is no longer green, but gray/brown.  There is a chill in the air.  Along with other things in life, this weighs down on me.  Does it weigh down on you too?

 But today, even in the midst of the bleakness, I am reminded that there is light. There is light to come. It may be dark, but the darkness will not last.  We CAN walk toward the light. And if we cannot walk the light WILL come to us.

 Even as the dark and cold descends, there IS hope.  When we least expect it, there will be light.

 I need to hold onto that.  We need to hold onto hope.  It IS there for us; just as the light is.

 Hope and light; they are there for us all.  They may seem far off, but they are there.  Whether we run towards it or walk slowly, we can all reach that light.  Hold onto that hope; do not let go.  It is there for us all.

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