The Advent Wreath
The Candle of Peace (Bethlehem Candle)
The second Advent candle, known as the candle of peace, highlights the transformative power of peace in our world, echoing the serenity at the heart of the Christmas story in Bethlehem. This candle is often referred to as the Bethlehem candle, symbolising the hope and harmony that the season brings.
Joyce Rupp writes: Peace begins in the minds and hearts of individuals, and that includes my own where rancor and division have no place if my life is to make a positive difference. I believe that to be a person of peace is to be a person of compassion, one who unites rather than divides, who seeks to love rather than to vent animosity, one who gives wholeheartedly rather than grasps selfishly, a person at home with one’s self, and consequently at home with others (https://joycerupp.com/2024-newsletter/let-peace-fill-our-hearts/).
God of Peace,
As we light the Bethlehem Candle
may we be blessed with hearts
full of love and healing.
And in and through your name
and in your Spirit,
may we breathe new life
and grace into everything
and everyone we encounter.
Amen.
Reflection:
How can your ministry cultivate a spirit of peace this Advent, fostering unity and compassion in your community?
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God
(Matthew 5:9).
