Fourth of Advent

Fourth of Advent 

darkness lengthens

deepens

stirring cold winds 

of isolation 

of abandonment 

of always… 

this way 

 and then 

a… breath 

a spark 

in the far away 

imagined 

enough to draw 

the eye

to draw

the heart

and there the gleam

a single

candle

glowing

pushing back

the dark

distant…

but enough

to reach us

we are not

alone

Third of Advent

 Third of Advent

fear driven longing for light

undermines

subverts

the necessary work

of the dark on the way

faith stands both

in the reality

of the coming light

and

of the present dark

fear learns again

dark adds

to fear 

with imagined

specters

faith learns again

the deep lessons

that dark alone

can impart to

those trained to

seeing in the dark

confused by the imagined

fear misses 

glancing backward

the hints of

coming light

content in unseen but

abiding presence

faith waits

growing in the dark

glowing in the dark.

Second of Advent

 Second of Advent

a glimmer

a hint

of what might be a smudge of light

but could just as easily be what

remains when you blink

not enough to attach to 

but... still

a beckoning

and so

like watchmen

we wait for the dawn

staring at what might be

knowing

it will be

but the waiting

the waiting

knows dawn

will not be

rushed

and prepares

to be present in the waiting

sets the heart for receiving

the gift of dawn

beyond the light of a new day

waiting prepares a place

for the gift unknown

coming to time in time

requiring unhurried space

uncluttered with expectations

open hands

open hearts

to wonder

and so

we wait.

Advent :: Hope!

 Had the chance to reflect on Hope - the first word of the Advent season - but not hope in a specific outcome - Hope in a Person Who has come and is coming...

Advent :: Hope

(The sermon starts about the 22 minute mark.)