Rev. Sandra L. Strauss
Christians around the world are observing Advent, a season culminating in our celebration of Christmas. The word “advent” means coming, and for Christians it is a time of preparation and reflection in anticipation of our annual remembrance of the birth of Jesus. We are called to set aside the things that distract us from what is truly important. The values of hope, love, joy, and peace are represented in the weekly lighting of candles in our churches and homes.
For many, regardless of faith tradition, the pandemic that we’ve been fighting for last two years has hampered our usual family gatherings and festivities. Millions are grieving the loss of loved ones, jobs, security, and any sense of certainty about our lives and we don’t know what the future will bring. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to feel “merry and bright.”
That’s why focusing on hope, love, joy, and peace is more important than ever during this season. It’s a welcome respite from the commercialization of the holidays, the hustle to create the perfectly decorated home and celebrations, and the drive to give the ideal gifts to family and friends—especially for those without the resources to meet these expectations.
This year my reflection and preparation are guided by the values illuminated in the candles we light each week and informed by our tumultuous times—and how our time reflects the unsettled times when a poor and unwed couple from the backwater town of Nazareth brought a helpless baby into a less than welcoming world. It was the promise of this babe—the promise of a better world—that has sustained Christians for centuries, and that continues to sustain us today.
Hope—better, faith—seems the most suitable starting point for an Advent journey. The author of Hebrews tells us that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). Hope is what strengthens us to hold on when it feels as if our lives have been turned upside down. Hope is faith in God’s promise of better times. The exiled John of Patmos, writing as persecution of Christians was spreading, speaks of seeing a new heaven and a new earth, and God’s promise to make all things new (Revelation 21). These promises give us hope even as we grieve loss and worry about circumstances beyond our control. It is my hope that we can work together as a society to reduce death and suffering of people everywhere—from COVID-19, but also due to conditions that we can control, repair, or alleviate—poverty, violence, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, global warming, and natural disasters. I also hope that we learn to give all of creation the reverence and respect it deserves.
Love is at the heart of what Jesus called the greatest commandment—or the two commandments upon which “hang all the law and the prophets.” Put simply, love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus made it clear that our neighbors include even those we despise—and the parable provides the perfect example of how we are to treat others as we wish to be treated. Love is required for our hopes to be realized, but loving our neighbor is difficult when we loathe others’ beliefs or fear our differences. Hope alone will not address all the wrongs of the world. In this season I pray that we endeavor to listen to those with whom we disagree and learn the stories of those who are different to gain understanding and compassion. May we learn and practice love toward every neighbor.
Joy is more than happiness. In “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,” the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu discuss the challenges involved in leading a genuinely joyful life. Both experienced oppression and exile, but because they have been able to practice forgiveness and compassion for those who wronged them, they have emerged with a true sense of joy. It is said that harboring hatred and anger can trap us in a loop of negativity that mostly serves to hurt our own health and mental well-being. Joy also means living in the moment and noticing the beauty around us—from the wonder of sunrise and sunset to the splendor of butterflies and perfectly formed flowers. My hope for this season is that we learn to experience true joy by letting go of negativity that traps us so we can see and experience the glorious creation that surrounds us—and the miracle of child born to guide us on a better path.
We have often heard that true peace is more than the absence of war. Pax Romana refers to the “peace” during the time of the Roman Empire. However, it was a forced “peace” under a regime that controlled the populations it governed, often through cruel and ruthless means. While there was no war, many Roman subjects lived in fear, so peace was never a reality. With most active conflict in places far from here, we’ve mostly been blind to a larger definition of peace. Awareness is growing that we do not live in a peaceful society as we witness violence wielded against our fellow human beings because of differences. This includes the scourge of gun violence that takes the lives of far too many of our neighbors. But violence goes beyond physical assaults—it is also the product of neglect when millions suffer from illness, hunger, and homelessness because we have not ensured their health, safety, and ability to have what is needed to live with dignity. This season I pray that we recognize that true peace will come only when we address our hatred and fears and care for our most at-risk neighbors.
While I have shared my hopes for this season as a Christian observing Advent, my desires extend to all people and for this creation that sustains us. May we look beyond ourselves and take time to ponder how we can contribute to making the world a better place for all of our neighbors. Smile at a stranger…volunteer at a soup kitchen or food pantry…open a door for someone. These are baby steps, but these small actions show we recognize the humanity in those who receive them. May we, as Gandhi once said, be the change we want to see in the world.
Wishing the hope, love, joy, and peace of the season to all.
The Rev. Sandra Strauss is director of Advocacy & Ecumenical Outreach for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and is ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Leave a Reply