Thought For The Week 01 December 2024

This week is the beginning of Advent, a word that reminds us of the arrival of Jesus on earth in the mystery of the incarnation. While our wall calendars and diaries tell us that there is one month left to run in the year, in the Church calendar for Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians, today is the first day of the new liturgical year It seems strangely out of sync with the rest of the country. But then, God’s people have always been out-of-sync, as a witness to an alternative way of being human that rests in the reality of God’s character and love. While everyone is gearing up for the Christmas trading season and trying to tie up loose ends before the end of the year, Christians mark this sacred time by waiting ….waiting for the celebration of Emmanuel, God with us. In advent, as we reflect on Christ’s first coming, we continue to wait

In our waiting, we reflect on the four advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. As we consider hope this week, it is easy to think this means Christians are meant to be optimistic, a sort of blind belief that somehow things will work out for the best. But Biblical hope is different from optimism, it isn’t focused on circumstances, it’s focused on the person of Jesus Christ. Scripture is honest about the fact that while humanity does its own thing, there’s no evidence things will get better. But God’s people choose to hope for the work we need God to do in our lives here today, the rough edges of our character we long for Jesus to refine, the relief from pain we bear or grief we carry, for God to provide what we need to flourish. We also wait for Christ’s return and for his surprising promises of a safe, sustainable and peaceful world where human hearts are open to each other and to God. Christian hope looks to Jesus to carry our story forward.

Luke Blackbeard