The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Living God as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11: 6-10)
The second candle of Advent represents peace. In the spirit of Isaiah's prophecy, peace in this context is not simply the avoidance of armed conflict, it is the active creation of well being.
The imagery of natural enemies caring for and respecting each other is not some fanciful, pie-in-the-sky dream. It is a prophetic call in the here-and-now. It is a call to put aside our natural inclinations in the cause of the Living God. This imagery is meant to spark the imagination, to reconsider our relationships to others, imagined now in terms of mutual wellbeing, safety, and good will.
It is a reminder that Advent (as well as Christmas and Easter and Pentecost) is not merely a remembrance of the past or a glimpse of a far-off future. Advent is a call for peace (and hope and joy and love!) in our lives, our families, our community, our nation, our world, today!
Grace to You and Peace
As the world spins out of control
Grace to you and peace
Vanity overwhelms
Grace to you and peace
Strength betrays and power corrupts
Grace to you and peace
Patience wanes and cries go unheard
Grace to you and peace
Pride turns inward and bitter
Grace to you and peace
News wears us down
Grace to you and peace
….
Grace to you
And peace
(R.E.W.)
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