“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” -John 14:27
On the second Sunday of Advent, we light the second purple candle, also known as the Bethlehem Candle. It represents Peace. This candle builds upon the Prophecy Candle by signifying Christ is coming to bring the lasting peace so desperately sought by the people in the Old Testament after they endured the continual fracturing of the kingdom of Israel. The Bethlehem Candle reminds us of Mary and Joseph's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem where Mary would give birth to Jesus.
Ponder the hardship Mary had to endure on her journey. She is a pregnant teenager. She needs proper nutrition, proper rest, and a worry-free state of mind. There were no restaurants they could stop off to get food on the way or drug stores to get her medicine and there wasn’t a comfortable vehicle for her to ride in. How does Mary have peace on this difficult journey? Mary's secret is made clear. She trusts in the truth of the words given to her by the Angel. God has taken her this far. He will not let her down. She knows she only has a little farther to go until she will bring the Savior of the world into the world.
We all need more peace in our life. This Advent, accept the unending peace that Christ offers.
Always improve the present moment.
Comments