We started off Advent this past Sunday with the candle of HOPE - the light of hope that makes all other advent themes possible. And I am struck by the work, the promise, and the depth of hope again this season.
Last weekend Peter and I were invited to join a reflective space to kick off Advent through poetry, art, music, reflections, laments, grief, and laughter. After a potluck meal, catching up with friends old and new, and cramming chairs into the same room, I sat and drank in the tender, thoughtful, heavy, humorous, beautiful words of these friends gathered. People spoke of parents who had died, living with a hard diagnosis, and seeing dementia change a father. Others spoke of grief at our world today, the frustration of when the church lets us down, the violence in Gaza and beyond being too much to bear. Some shared songs with harmony, guitar chords that gathered up the room in smiles, even a child’s tv program made its way onto the collective stage. And the eldest of us there, the father of one of our hosts, shared a few words that move me still: “Hope is the most important word of Advent,” he said, “because without it, we can’t get to the other words. You just can’t lose hope!”
Without hope, we can’t get to Advent. I thought about that concept that night, and this past Sunday, and now this week… He was saying that without hope, we can’t get to peace, joy, and love. Without hope, we can’t get to the baby Jesus we worship on December 25th. Without hope, in short - we get lost. And the work of hope - the work of digging deep to root ourselves in the truth of loving God even when circumstances around us feel different; deciding to trust in a good and generous God who sees us, even when we don’t see Her at work; believing in a God who is with us, Emmanuel, even when He seems silent - that is such a significant part of the truth we worship this Christmas Season.
Wherever you find yourself this Advent - hurried, worried, grateful or celebrating; or maybe unsure where you belong or where God is in all of this; if you’re excited for Advent and new things growing at LaSalle, or if you’re consumed with making ends meet and homework or finding housing or juggling a tricky relationship or daily - know this truth today, that we can put our hope in God. God is with us. God is with you. Emmanuel. The hope we spoke of last Sunday together means that we can “hope in the mystery,” as Rev Alicia preached, we can choose to trust in “the character and intent of a good God.” Hope means that we can acknowledge and feel all that’s in the present, and also know that this isn’t all there is. Hope is watching the Hodapp family light the first candle and reflect with us about sleepless nights with young children and the hope for peace and ceasing from war around the globe in the same breath. It’s watching our youth lead us in worship and gifted musicians guide us through communion; it’s hearing about the good work that Churches for Middle East Peace is doing in Washington DC after our potluck and also lamenting that its hard to choose to hope in what could be, and not react out of fear, vengeance, and pain. Hope is our work church family - its choosing to look for spaces of light, to look for that promise in the middle of the scripture passage, to look for that promise in the middle of the messiness of life, and focus on where God is at work, even when we can’t see Her working.
I am praying you feel invited to explore that work with us this season - Do You See The Light? Do you see - hope? God at work? Light in the dimly lit, heavy spaces of real life? Join us this Advent and bring your family, friends, community, and neighbors toward the light as we gather on Sunday mornings for worship, on Wednesday nights for Advent Examen, and at various events to find the light together this December.
“You just can’t lose hope!” Amen. - RevDoc