Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.
In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.
We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.
--Maya Angelou
One morning in Advent a few years back, we awoke to find snow covering our backyard. My middle son ran outside in his socks, scooping up the snow with his bare hands and whooped with joy. A few minutes later he returned to declare, eyes wide with elation: “we have reindeer hooves in our backyard; Santa definitely knows where we live.”
In her poem, “Amazing Peace” Maya Angelou describes the “hope that is born on the faces of children.” Surely this is a year where we need such hope!
Christians live in a tension during the season of Advent, between the already and not yet; the belief that God is both present and God will be born again in our hearts and in the world. Advent is the season where we re-imagine the hope of God. Our collective yearning for hope, for the implementation of the vaccine, for a return to gathering with family and friends, and for peace and safety is present this year as never before.
In 2020, however, we won’t have to remind ourselves to cut back on the frenzied activities of the season. The slow, reflective nature of advent is upon us, whether we like it or not.
Savor this time. Light candles, write hand written cards to old friends, and read stories by the tree. Listen for the sounds of angels, search for reindeer hooves, and cherish the “hope that is born on the faces of children.”
As we continue to pray for the safety and security of our loved ones, communities, and health care workers, may we find the “true peace” of God in this unique, 2020 season of Advent.
--The Rev. Katie Solter
Spread the word!
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