Peace in a Time of Despair

When do we light the candle of despair?

Last week was supposed to be the week of Hope, the first week of the Advent season, yet as the week wore on, I was filled with despair. Then I realized that Advent assumes a life of despair and is all about bringing light into that darkness.

Today, we light the candle of peace. Most of us have only known the peace of the post-war era. It wasn’t perfect, and not everyone experienced it equally, but for as much as we talk about living in unprecedented times, it was that peace that was truly unprecedented. The light of peace shone brightly for generations and offered hope to the world. That’s what I thought it meant to be a “Christian” nation.

Now it feels as if the light is being snuffed out. The spreading of the darkness is terrible to witness, but my despair comes from knowing that so many Christians approve and even cheer on the darkness. It is Christians leading the way into the darkness.

It is Christians who embrace the lies and dismiss the corruption. It is Christians who approve of closing our doors to refugees, dehumanization, racism and bigotry, cutting food benefits to the poor, denying health coverage, murder on the high seas, the list is endless.

The Gospel of Love has been replaced by a message of fear preached from pulpits near and far.

Fear God and fear thy neighbor. They’re taking your jobs, they’re taking your children, they’re taking your money through taxes, they’re killing your people. Their sins have resulted in your suffering.

This is not the message of Jesus.

And so we light the candle of peace not because peace reigns but because it doesn’t. We light the candle of peace to spite the darkness. We are reminded that peace is not won through elections or war, but it is pursued by choosing love over fear.

Advent is the season of waiting, of abiding time. Lighting candles in the darkness is an act of faithful resistance, when we say to the world: the darkness will not win.