The Themes of Advent

Being raised in the Catholic church, I had a lot of exposure to the concept of Advent when I was growing up. Somehow it didn’t really sink in, though, what the significance of Advent really is. This year I have been drawn back to wanting to know more about, and truly celebrate, Advent. I went back and reviewed what the themes of the four Sundays of Advent are. They are Hope, then Peace, then Love, then Joy.

Ahhhh! Thinking of those themes during this year of COVID helps me take in some nice slow, deep, healing breaths. We truly need Hope this December- hope that we will be able to see our friends and family again without worry of causing them to get sick, hope that the vaccine will be safe, effective and provided to us in a timely, equitable manner, hope that we will find a way to come through this winter and stay emotionally stable and physically strong.

I came across a beautiful scripture about hope, found in the Pastoral Visitor’s Handbook of St Patrick’s Parish in Stoneham, Massachusetts. It is a scripture I am going to write on a little card and carry around with me during Advent, because I would love to meditate on it, and then memorize it so I can bring it to mind as needed this winter:

“You are my hope, Lord; my trust, God, from my youth.

On You I depend since birth; from my mother’s womb, you are my strength;

My hope in You never wavers.

Psalm 71: 5-6

My initial thoughts on these verses as I have meditated on them is that though my faith might waver at times, my hope never does. As I write this, I am reminded of Emily’s Dickinson’s words about hope:

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all.

Dear Lord, please bless us all with Hope this Advent season! Amen