As we light the second of the four outer candles on our Advent wreath, we are reminded that as Christmas draws nearer, the light of this new candle drives darkness even further into the distance.
This second candle is the ‘peace’ candle. Christmas is about celebrating the arrival, the birthday, of the Prince of Peace.
Advent is about waiting, longing, preparing, and working towards His return.
The attached prayer of peace has been attributed to St. Frances of Assisi. It’s possibly more relevant now than it was when it was written about 800 years ago. There is so much hatred, injury, doubt, despair, darkness and sadness.
That’s where we come in. It’s up to us to be instruments of justice that lead to peace as we work with our friends in our ministry units and on the street.
No Justice. No peace.
Know Justice. Know Peace.
While we wait we will continue to strive to be ‘The Hand of God in the Heart of the City.’
Dion
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.