Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. 8 The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love.9 This is how the love of God is revealed to us: God has sent his only Son into the world so that we can live through him. 1 John 4:7-9
While I was growing up during the season of Advent, we had two traditions that I have fond memories of. The first was the Advent wreath. Every night at dinner we always lit the candles in our Advent wreath. If you were the person who set the table then you got to be the person to light them. The other tradition in our house was the Advent calendar. It was always so much fun to add an item to the calendar. With every item that was added the closer we were to Christmas. It made the waiting through Advent a little easier.
The first Advent season after I got married my mom made an Advent calendar for Bobby and me. She wanted Bobby to have a small glimpse into the traditions of my childhood. While I have had to replace a couple of the ornaments that get hung each day on the calendar throughout these 38 years, I still have her handwritten note addressed to Bobby and me explaining this gift to us. My mom hand sewed many of the ornaments as well as the tree shaped calendar that hangs on the wall. She put quite a bit of time and love into this gift she gave us. This Advent calendar comes out every year and it has now become a tradition for my boys. Even as young adults they still hang the ornaments on the calendar when they come to visit.
On Sunday, we lit the second candle, the candle of love, on the Advent wreath. I reflected on how God’s gift of baby Jesus was a true gift of love given to all of us. It made me think about the gift my mom gave to Bobby and me so long ago and how it too was a gift of love from her to us. Love comes from God and is a gift worth sharing. During this second week of Advent be mindful of how you too can share this wonderful gift of love that God has given us.
Marty
Gracious and loving God,
Thank you for your unending love even when we are undeserving. May we find ways to love others even when they are hard to love. Help us to act in ways so that people will recognize that we are born from You and know You. We give thanks for your gift of love.
Amen