the season of advent has begun. in many churches five special candles are lit over the course of the season. four of them form a circle around one central candle, the christ candle, which is lit on christmas eve. the other four are lit on the four sundays of advent, one each sunday, usually with a special ceremony that is built upon the word the candle represents. the first candle is commonly called the candle of hope.
i want to write about some of my hopes for the coming year. in the church calendar, the new year began with the first sunday of advent, so it is appropriate that hope is the theme for that sunday. there are many things to hope for, most of all an end to the scourge of covid-19, which has consumed most of the current calendar year. in the usa, we have fought about how best to deal with the pandemic. many have denied its existence, claiming it is a hoax that would disappear after the election. that hasn't happened. their denialism has made what was a bad situation one that is much worse than it ought to have been. we have had a president who encouraged skepticism about the dangers of the virus and discouraged serious efforts to stop its spread. now we have the hope of several vaccines that claim to be quite effective. as inoculations begin later this month, we hope to see a gradual end to the death and sickness that this virus continues to cause.
we have elected a new president and vice-president. many of us hope that this administration will be more effective and competent than the current one and that we will have leadership that is compassionate and has empathy for the plight of ordinary people who struggle from paycheck to paycheck or who are unable to find work. we hope for an end to the bickering and obstructionism in the national government and for those who disagree to find common ground that benefits the people of the country and the world. we hope for an end to both the denial of fact and the promotion of wild conspiracy theories from the highest levels of government.
we hope that new leadership in washington means a more compassionate immigration policy that recognizes the desperation of many of those who seek refuge in this country. we hope that we return to the ideals that enabled this nation of immigrants to flourish, a nation that from its beginnings was one that allowed a people of many languages and cultures to be united by love of freedom and democracy. our founders refused to adopt an official language, recognizing the value of diversity. nor did they adopt a state religion but insisted that government and state be kept separate and independent of one another. here is another ideal that we hope will return to official acceptance and recognition.
we hope that we once again embrace our allies and work together to make the world a better place rather than coddling and befriending dictators. we hope that we work with the nations of the world both through diplomatic contacts with various governments and through the united nations and the organizations, like the world health organization, that are a part of it. we hope that we are no longer a nation of "america first," but rather a nation of the people of the world first.
may we hope that the tiny babe born in a stable in a small village in palestine will bring us together and fill us with lovingkindness and compassion. may hope be restored, replacing selfishness and greed. may hope come into the world so that "me" is replaced by "us." may we hope that peace on earth and goodwill towards all is more than a slogan we hear during this season but rather a way of thinking, feeling, and living. shalom.
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