I haven't been attending church since the pandemic began, and while I don't miss everything, I do miss the tradition of Advent: the songs and the candle-lighting in particular.
Which candle is Advent One, anyway ... I always forget. Is it Peace? No, I'm pretty sure it's HOPE.
Since the hope candle gets lit first, it burns down first, so a few weeks into the season it might need to be replaced with a fresh one. You wouldn't want it to burn too low and start a fire, especially in the middle of the Christmas Eve service.
It seems a bit like cheating to take away that little stub and start all over again with an unused candle. But on the other hand it makes perfect sense to acknowledge that our hope can burn low and need refreshing. There's no shame in admitting that. Circumstances, personal and global, can snuff out our hope so that only a wisp of smoke remains.
If one of us finds our hope sputtering, we can hold hope for one another. Refresh one another's candle. Remind one another that Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not -- will not -- overcome it.
