Choosing Hope

This first week of Advent which focuses on hope may be difficult for many of us. Another new variant strain of the Covid virus, gangs of people coordinating to rob stores, more and more rain in BC, and bulldozing of homeless encampments are just some of the upsetting and concerning items in the news added to the laundry list of issues and injustices we face. We are broken as a society, country and world.

But even in the face of this darkness and the temptation to despair, I say and yet…

And yet on Giving Tuesday there were many people and organizations ready to match donations made. Some charities indicated just how much money had come in already towards their goals of bettering humanity and the world. It was stunning to see what we could do together.

And yet people have once again put up Christmas lights to brighten the slushy and wet nights of the end of November as we move into this new month of waiting and watching for Jesus’ reappearance among us, Emmanuel, God with us.

And yet I was invited to break bread with someone yesterday for lunch and to dream a little about what could be in the church beyond the grey haze of lockdown and week to week management of details.

And yet even though at first I wasn’t excited about the annual ritual of gingerbread making, I did it and fell into the rhythm of mixing and flattening out the dough and using the cookie cutters. In that rhythm, with a favourite video series about the journey to Christmas on in the background, I focused and reflected on this season.

And yet my apartment is decorated and the tree is up and full of ornaments, many of which were given as gifts or bring memories of childhood. Looking at each and remembering its story reminds me of my bonds and relationships with others and that I’m not alone even as the nights get longer.

My space is ready and my heart is starting to get more ready too as I choose hope. It would be so easy to curl up in a ball and curse the darkness that at the same time provides comfort and anonymity. But I choose to hope that, not on our own but through the inbreaking of God and the Christ sent to dwell among us, the rightness and goodness of the kingdom of heaven is coming more and more in our midst all the time. As followers and Christ’s body, we play a role in making that happen, guided by the Spirit.

So I wish you hope this week. I wish you the ability to trust that God’s plans are still in action and can ultimately overcome the evil we can so readily see around us. I wish you the stamina to keep on going and the wisdom to know when you need a rest or to scale back so that you can more fully embody God’s love for yourself and others. I wish you the belief that Jesus is among us, is coming again among us and will be with us forever and that this absolutely makes a difference.

May hope bless your path and give you courage and resilience, faith and assuredness that God is for you and will light the way.