Fourth Sunday in Advent

Our Advent Wreath on the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Today we celebrate the Fourth Sunday in Advent with the Collect from the Book of Common Prayer 2011:

O LORD, raise up your power, we pray, and with great might come among us; And, as our sins and wicked ways greatly hinder us in running the race that is set before us, let your abundant grace and mercy come quickly to help and deliver us; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit, belongs all honor and glory, now and always. Amen. 

So we light the fourth candle, the candlelight from the Advent wreath on our kitchen table now bright enough to read the Scriptures and prayers without the need for additional lighting.

What strikes me each time we gather around the Advent wreath is the power of a single candle to illuminate the darkness. Our faith is like that--the light of one is powerful in dispelling the darkness, yet when two, three, four, and more candles are added, the light increases exponentially, glowing so brightly that the darkness is penetrated, pushed back, weakened.

The light of one is amazing...but the light of multiple candles burning in this dark world, revealing what is hidden and dispelling the fear of the unknown...that is POWER.

The power of the One who came to illumine our hearts and homes with His sacrificial love. By dying for us, He has given us His Light so that we may join Him in the great work of dispelling evil and illuminating what is good, holy, and perfect.

A holy and blessed Advent to you all!!