Hope in Grief

It's at the point where the VA won’t take care of their patients. I have been lost since losing my mom and my husband in 2017. During the holidays it is always harder than anything you could ever imagine. For this it means that I will not have my granny telling me all the things in the kitchen, my mom cannot help me with all of the mom things when the kids get sick, and if I need advice I don’t have my husband to back me up. During the holiday season these emotions are difficult to process. We all have people that we miss, and we can get lost in grief if we allow it. Feeling grief isn’t wrong, but in the midst of all that has ended, recognizing the true meaning of Advent as a beginning can be a beautiful and helpful thing. On the first Sunday of Advent we lit the Hope Candle to remind us of the coming Emmanuel in both his glory and his humanity, born both a child and a King. In addition, it allows us to be in anticipation and preparation of when the Risen Savior will return once again.

Into the heaviness of grief, God gives us a word that is gentle and strong at the same time - this word represented in that first flame. Hope can sometimes remind us to simply move on, for there is much greater in store for the future. Our loved ones were called to God early and they will be with us as soon as God is ready for us. Grief happens and it hits our hearts with such agony, but hope allows relief in that pain.

For those who have died for the Lord, the Second coming is not something to fear. It is the fulfillment of every longing heart. It is eternal restoration when every grave must give way to glory and every broken heart is fully healed.

The Hope of this candle that we have lit for the first Sunday of Advent represents the hope only Jesus provides. We need Hope. Hope in the birth of Jesus, and hope of when he will come again.