One candle is lit for my first Advent

This Christmas, I experienced something new at my church in Fort Worth, University Christian Church (UCC). For the first time, I have learned Advent as a special period in the calendar. I knew that the Christmas season started after Thanksgiving, not because of my knowledge of the Christian calendar, but by seeing festive displays of Santa Claus and his reindeer through the windows of shopping centers, by watching my neighborhood slowly become illuminated with green and red Christmas lights, and by realizing that Home Depot was now starting to sell Christmas Trees. If you asked me a few months ago what I thought Advent meant, unfortunately, I probably wouldn't have been able to tell you. I don't remember learning about Advent as a special time from the churches I used to attend as a youth. I really don't know why that's the case. Maybe it had to do with their being an evangelical church that did not prize tradition.

So I was in for a new experience as I worshipped at UCC during Advent. UCC celebrates Advent with a beautiful liturgy filled with jubilant music and the lighting of Advent Candlesrepresenting Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love — four feelings that I feel are, by their nature, an essential part to the Christmas season.

Four weeks ago, my church lit our first candle that was sitting on the pulpit while singing the first verse of the hymn "One Candle is Lit" from the Chalice Hymnal. The first verse goes like this: "Come surely, Lord Jesus, as dawn follows night, our hearts long to greet you, as roses, the light. Salvation, draw near us, our vision engage.

"One candle is lit for the HOPE of the age."
At first, I didn't understand why my church only sang that one verse for that week. I thought that they might've done that because they were trying to control the length of the worship service. But I was very wrong. I learned that as each week progressed, it added on a different meaning to this Advent season. I got a hang of it once I came to church the 3rd week before Christmas. My church had lit the second candle of Peace while singing the second verse: "Come quickly, shalom, teach us how to prepare for a gift that compels us with justice to care. Our spirits are restless till sin and war cease.

"One candle is lit for the reign of God's PEACE."
Now, I knew that we would sing the third verse the next week. And so we did. We lit the third candle of Joy while singing the third verse: "Come, festively sing while awaiting the birth, join angels in dancing from heaven to earth. Wave banners of good news, lift high thankful praise.

"One candle is lit for the JOY of these days."
Now I completely understood. This week we lit the last candle of Love while singing the fourth verse: "Come, wander where lion and lamb gently play, where evil is banished and faith takes the day, a babe in a manger to fool the world's eyes.

"One candle is lit for God's LOVING surprise."
Next week during Christmas, we will light the white and last candle, representing the purity and joy of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ while singing the last verse of the song: "Come, listen, the sounds of God with us ring clear, and signs of a cross in the distance appear. The world once made flesh, yet the Word ever near.

"One candle is lit for the CHRIST BIRTHDAY here."
I have come to feel that these lyrics have really spoken to my heart and have made me view the Christmas season in a different light. I know it's hard to truly focus on the real meaning of the Christmas season with the world bombarding us with so much "Christmas commercialism", but I feel very blessed and find deep joy as this year, I am able to put that all aside, and truly meditate on the coming of our Lord with Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love inscribed in my heart.