Reading: Isaiah 9.2
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.”
Sermon: Light – see it – be it!
We are at the beginning of the season of Advent and the beginning of December. Both Advent and December are marked by light, yes more and more light. But what I love about the Season of Advent is that is so countercultural – when everyone else, all stores, all neighborhoods are so busy getting all the lights up, all the decorations, all the Christmas ornaments displayed, the church quietly says: Wait. Be Patient. Take your time. Light one candle at a time.
We have only lit one Candle on our Advent Wreath, but tomorrow we will light the second. This is such a beautiful and meaningful Advent tradition. To light one candle at a time: one every Sunday in advent. Adding candle by candle until the Advent wreath is fully lit and it is almost Christmas. It is such a fine way to mark the season of advent, and even more to focus on the necessity of time, patience, and preparation.
I remember many many years ago when I was a very very small little girl, I wanted to help my busy mom on the first Sunday of Advent when family and friends were invited over for Gloog and Ableskiver. So, as a little girl who was not supposed to play with matches, I lit all 4 candles at once. That was not good – and I can tell you that I have never done it again. But even more, I remember this every Advent as a reminder that Things take time – ting tar tid. Husk de tre t som Piet Hein said. Remember the 3 t’s: Things Take Time.
It is beautiful to light one candle patiently, prayerfully, and purposefully at a time.
In 1839, the advent wreath made its debut in Germany. A Lutheran preacher working at a children’s mission made a wreath out of a cartwheel. Inside the ring, he lit twenty little red candles and four huge white candles. On weekdays, the red candles were lit, while on Sundays, the four white candles were lit.
The Advent wreath was eventually made of evergreens, which symbolized perpetual life amid cold and death since the evergreen is always green. The circle represents God’s never-ending love and eternal life.
Here in our Danish Church, we of course have a Danish Design Advent Wreath designed by George Jensen. Elegant and simple, with 4 candles hanging in a circle.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.”
These words from the old Prophet Isaiah ring so true every Advent. We too walk in darkness, we too live in a time of despair, war, division, and darkness. …. And we need light. We need light to find our way to Christmas and the Child in the manger – and we need light to find our path in life and not stumble.
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind,” the flickering candle flames remind us of who Jesus is: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all people.” The Light glows in the dark, and the darkness hasn’t been able to overcome it.” (John 1:4-5.)
In the middle of the darkness, Advent candles glow brilliantly, signifying and reminding us that Jesus came as Light into our dark world.
But today we still only have lit the first Candle of Hope. And that one flame of hope, will be reflected in our small individual Candles of hope later. Because…..
There is always
light
If only we brave enough to
see it
If only we brave enough to
be it.
There is always light, said the young poet.
At the 2020 inauguration, the young poet Amanda Gorman summoned respect and faith when she laid out images of darkness and light
The 22-year-old Gorman referenced to everything from Biblical scripture and the musical “Hamilton,” and at times echoed the oratory of John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at the Capital. With urgency and assertion, she began by asking “Where can we find light/In this never-ending shade?” and the poet concluded with power and poetic beauty with the words of wisdom, urgency, and calling that could be the words of Advent:
There is always light
If only we brave enough to see it
If only we brave enough to be it.
There is always light.
‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.’, Martin Luther King Jr. said
‘Amid the darkness, light persists.’ Mahatma Gandhi said.
And we know. We know the power of light.
If we keep something in the dark, we keep it secret, and if we are in the dark about something, we don’t know anything about it.
If we bring something to light or something comes to light, people find out about it and if we cast, shed, or throw light on something, we give people information about it.
People may be dark shady persons, while others are shining bright beacons. And if we are in a dark place, we are unhappy or depressed.
On the other hand, someone who is the light of your life is the person you love most and makes you happy, and if you say there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you believe there will be better days ahead.
In the beginning, was darkness and then God said “Let there be light.” Says the Bible.
We believe and confess this when we light our Advent Candles of Hope.
Light is a metaphor that allows us to see, know, and understand: who we are, who everyone else is, and what we are all doing here.
In the darkness, we stumble upon things.
When there is light, we don’t stumble, because we can see the land in front of us, we can see each other, and even more how all things are laid out on this obstacle course that we call life.
Let us offload the darkness of separation, bigotry, and hatred, and take onboard the light of unity, compassion, and love.
There is always light
If only we were brave enough to see it
If only we were brave enough to be it.
Let us light our candles, one by one, time after time. Let us be brave enough to see the light and brave enough to be the light.