I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)

Where We Are Headed This week….

From the first glimpses of light, daylight eventually breaks forth. Light soaks in and pushes darkness to the margins of the sky as the sun rises above the horizon. It is a process that starts slowly and picks up speed. Night loses ground before the advancing day.

The emergence of a new day can be such a blessing. It is especially true for those who have had to wait through a long, dark, and endless night.

This week, our Advent attention turns to the dawn and the start of a new day. We continue our metaphoric movement from darkness to light. Yearning for renewal and transformation, the coming of God's kingdom, we wait for daybreak. Our world needs light. So do our lives.

How is this true for you? What corners of your life could use illumination? Where do you sit in the cold darkness alone, separated from the warmth of a community? What fears dwell in the unlit places of your soul?

Each day that the sun comes up brings with it the potential for growth. How might the rise of a new day give you hope and courage? Where might you locate the co-creating Christ who brings the gift of resurrection?

PRAYER:

Light a candle (or two candles on your Advent wreath), take a deep breath, and pray…

O Come Healing Light and shine into our broken bodies. As Jesus opened the eyes of the blind, open our eyes to see the need of others. Allow compassion to rule in the depths of our being so that we might as individuals and the church be drawn into the dark places of life, where there is suffering, and shine the light of your mercy and love. Dispel our biases and hatred so that we are finally able to see our brothers and sisters in the face of a stranger, foreigner, and our enemies. Through the Resurrected Body of Christ, Amen.