Lighting the way

Feast of St. Thomas
Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Psalm 40:14

I hurry across the wet grass to cut a few sprigs from our holly bush to replace the fading greens in our Advent wreath. The rain has tapered off for the moment but promises to return. The leaden sky adds to the gloom of an evening that is already heading toward the darkest night. We gather at the dinner table, and into this darkness, we light three candles.

At noontime too, as my work colleagues gathered for prayer, we lit the candles. In the middle of the day this ritual seems not so much about warding off darkness, as lighting the way, offering welcome the One who is coming.

Our invitation is growing. The place in our hearts expanding as our yearning for the one who can save us increases. Come, Jesus, come.