Be the Light of Christ - Peace that Holds Us Together

Advent 2 – December 7, 2025 

Readings: Isaiah 43:19–21 • Psalm 121 • James 5:7–10 • Matthew 11:1–11

Advent blessings to you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

This Advent, we continue with the theme from Sanctified Art, which invites us to face uncertainty in life with the gifts God gives—hope, peace, joy, and love.

Last week, we reflected on Hope.

In times of uncertainty, one common shared emotion is fear. Fear may cause us to waver in faith. Yet when we pray ceaselessly in hope, as Zechariah and Elizabeth did, we discover again and again that God’s promises endure. That is the Hope of Advent we carry.

Upon the gift of Hope, we now add another gift to carry with us: Peace.

• Isaiah 43:19–21 proclaims peace as God’s new thing—like a path in the wilderness, like rivers in the desert, and like life springing forth.

• Psalm 121 names peace as strength from our Maker. The Lord never slumbers but watches over us day and night, guarding our steps.

• James 5:7–10 lifts peace as patience in waiting. Like the farmer trusting the rains and the process, we endure with steady hearts until the Lord’s coming.

• Matthew 11:1–11 reveals peace as good news breaking in—healing for the blind, freedom for the oppressed, and proclamation among the poor.

Peace is not passive. It is God’s active gift, woven into newness, strength, patience, and good news. In Advent, we carry peace alongside hope, trusting that God’s promises are not only enduring but already unfolding among us.

Jesus shows us that peace is more than the absence of conflict. It is for our spiritual, mental, and physical well‑being, as Matthew teaches. It is revealed in our trustful response to God’s mission, as the Psalm declares. It renews our relationships again and again, as Isaiah proclaims.

So the Good News for us today is this: God’s peace is already breaking in. It continues to unfold in our lives. It shapes both our inner life and our community. And we make it part of our liturgy—the way we worship.

How we worship is how we live as the people of God.

Notes: In Exodus, the Hebrew word often translated as worship is עָבַד (ʿābad), which literally means to serve, to work. When applied to God, it carries the sense of both serving and worshiping. This shows that biblical worship is not limited to ritual acts but encompasses the whole of life—our daily service, obedience, and devotion to God.

In Matthew 5:23–24, Jesus teaches that if we remember someone has been wronged, we must first seek reconciliation before offering our gift. That is why we share the peace of Christ first, and then, prayerfully in hope, with joy, bring our offering to the altar.

Yes, prayerfully in hope, with joy, we offer all that we are and all that we have to God at the Thanksgiving Table. That is the way of our life.

Think about it…what is it like to eat a meal surrounded by fear… frustration… anger… or hate?

When we don’t know what will happen next—when our well‑being declines, relationships unravel, injustice threatens our livelihood, or violence shadows daily life, how could we, with joy, have a peaceful meal?

That may be the very reason Christ left this precious gift for us in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”

This colorful paper pattern I used for the Children’s message is made of many strips woven together. Some dark (not seeing future)… some light (remembering to God we belong)… some bright (noticing new things God is doing). Each little square is like a family’s story… a ministry team’s story… a community’s story… a piece of their faith journey.

When a faith community misses the opportunity to reconcile in Christ, it also misses the core meaning of Holy Communion-having a peaceful meal at Jesus' Table: the new covenant in His blood, given for the forgiveness of sin.

How often have we overlooked unreconciled relationships—pretended they weren’t there, or lacked the courage and skill to face them?

And when that happens… what do we see?

It is as if someone pulled out one strip of paper… or tried to remove one square… or began to tear the piece apart.

The whole piece begins to weaken. And by doing nothing, we only watch it unravel.

So we wonder: what might be a better way to mend it?

Maybe with tape. Maybe with staples. Or maybe—just maybe—by weaving in a new strip to replace what was torn.

Romans 12:18 reminds us: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Therefore, whenever we carry our stories forward—whenever we come to the Lord’s Table—we are weaving those stories together with the gift of peace we have shared.

That weaving, the act of weaving, proclaims our belief in God’s promises. That weaving declares our participation in what God is doing. And each time, that weaving becomes something new.

Together, it makes us one family in Christ. And this is what we offer at the Lord's Table: all that we have, and all that we are.

In this collective life, as peace is shared, we set the table, the cup, and the bread. Today’s scriptures remind us that we wait in patience to see God’s Good News unfold before our eyes. New strength in God is discovered. New stories come alive among us.

And the gift of Peace— strong enough to hold us, gentle enough to heal us, wide enough to welcome all.

May we, beloved of God, be woven together by Christ’s peace.

May the light of Hope guide our steps.

May the gift of Peace guard our hearts.

May the joy of Christ fill our lives.

And may the love of God bind us as one.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.