This coming Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, we will celebrate the New Year. The New Year of our church year, that is. Advent is a season of hope and a time to prepare. Advent finds us focusing on the hope of Jesus’ coming. For a young child this coming of Jesus might be the new born babe found in the manger on Christmas Eve. For those of us who have continued on our faith journey for a number of years, our hope anticipates the day that Jesus will come again. Christians of all ages prepare for Jesus during this season of hope.

Advent is a time when we sense that life is not complete, something is missing, there is someone yet to come. In our community and family worship we light the candles on the Advent wreath in expectation of Jesus, the true light, the light that no darkness can overcome. We await the arrival of the Messiah who makes our life complete.

Until Christ returns, we catch glimpses of “little” signs of hope as we, the body of Christ, live as his disciples. Hope appears in the generosity of those who contribute to good causes such as food shelves, who visit people unable to leave their homes, who volunteer to bring light into the lives of those who are lonely and distressed. Hope flows through those who lives reflect God’s love.

During the season of Advent, let us take time to prepare our hearts and minds for the arrival of Jesus, the hope of the world, the promise of God with us, our light in the darkness.