Time of Emergence

Advent. Some refer to it as the time of emergence. It is a most beautiful time of year. My favorite. From the light of the oil lamp, to the light of the Christ, to the light of birth, to the winter solstice; we celebrate renewal. And is that not what we do every day; renew? Our faith gives us the insight to continually renew our selves, our lives and our days.

The meaning of the weeks and candles are different depending on who you speak with; here we use the Christian traditional candles.

Advent is made up of the four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. Traditionally, the first week is known as prophecy - it is explained by words like anticipation, expectation. Do you ever feel that? You have a new idea, a desire and your mind, heart and body can be filled with anticipation....., visceral, physical, emotional.........waiting for it to be seen, revealed in your experience? The second week is known as LOVE. I often think of how after we have had a wonderful idea, have planted a seed of thought; we need to love it, nourish it, to help it grow. Between the second and third week I believe we gain clarity. When we love, and sit with that, wisdom blesses us and we can choose; this or that? After clarity we march into - the third week of JOY - sometimes called the Shepherds' Candle, joy is what we feel as we watch the idea grow. We may see how God is bringing all our ducks in a row, bring us all which we need, want, in order to harvest our dream. This tells and assures us we have aligned with the consciousness of the Christ. It is a joyful process! During this time we stand in awe of Gods Grace & Goodness. The fourth week is the PEACE candle, perhaps known as the angel candle. When we know our dream is right here, so close, almost touchable...when our intention is being revealed; we allow our selves to be at peace, the peace which passeth all understanding. The final week is the center, Christ candle. The celebration of the birth, the revelation, the manifestation.

I do not believe there is right or wrong flow to these ideas. PEACE may be your second week - finding and settling into that inner upper room in order help the seeds to manifest.  For me this is about much more than the order of the candles. This represents the Law of God.

The law that what we ask for, we will see. The law that what we pay attention to grows. The law and teaching that we must find and be at inner peace in order to see our dreams manifest. The laws which state that Joy is a gift from God and that Love is the great nurturer of all things. When I light the final Christ candle, for me it is not about the birth of the Christ child; but about the birth of Christ through and as us - as we become and merge with our faith, the Christ vibration fills us and we have revealed in our lives; joy. In our lives; LIGHT!

PEACE - WILD ANTICIPATION - JOYFUL PRESENCE - LOVE; The Christ.

PROPHECY - ANGELS - SHEPERDING - PEACE; The Christ.

The Christ;  LOVE - PEACE - JOYFUL Sound - EXPECTING GRACE!

Any order, any time. any day, any thing.

Blessed Season of Light to you & yours.
Rev. Deborah Evans Hogan