Advent reflection for 1 December

As the calendar year draws towards its close and the days grow darker and shorter, a new Church year begins, and we enter the Advent season looking ahead for the coming of the light.

As always, we begin our Christian year with waiting. We wait in anticipation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas and in hope for the day when Jesus comes again.

Yet, this is not passive waiting, as this startling reading from Luke’s Gospel makes clear. Amidst chaos and distress, as people faint in fear and with the very powers of heaven shaken, we are called to stand tall and lift up our heads. Rather than allowing fear and confusion to paralyse us as we see the many problems in our world, we look up. We eagerly await and work for the coming of God’s reign in our midst.

Over the coming weeks, in our Advent reflections, we’ll be sharing stories of resilience, faith and hope in action from our partners in Ukraine and across the globe. We’ll be reminded of the shared vision of people around the world. Through prayer, standing bravely against injustice and walking in solidarity with the most marginalised, they show us a better world is possible.

Christ is here. He calls us to “keep awake”, and trust that his light within us is stronger than the darkness. On this first Sunday of Advent let’s join Saint Paul’s prayer, asking God to increase our love for all people, so that we can bring hope and healing to all creation.

Advent prayer

God of hope,
increase our love,
so that this time of Advent waiting
will make us ready for you,
whether you come in poverty and need
or power and glory.
Amen. 

Act

Find out more about our Advent appeal to help families in Ukraine who need vital supplies to survive the winter.

Find out more