Advent Thoughts

My grandfather passed away last week, on the first Sunday of Advent. This is the Sunday when we light the candle of hope. And while the death of a loved one does not usually facilitate thoughts of hope, this death did. I was not close with this grandpa, and I don't generally describe this side of the family as healthy. My grandfather never felt fully present at family gatherings, his mind always seemed to be on whatever sports were being aired on TV or his recent golf or curling game. He and my grandmother often felt like congenial roommates at best. I can probably count on one hand the times the entire family, all four of his boys, their wives, and their children were altogether.

But in the past few months, while my grandfather was in the hospital healing from a broken shoulder, all four of his boys were able to visit and spend some time with him. All four of them were in Regina to celebrate his 90th birthday at the end of October, a moment that made him cry with tears of joy.

My father gave the eulogy at his funeral a few days ago and this event, the tears at my grandpa's birthday, was a moment of reconciliation for my father. A much needed expression of joy, thankfulness, and pride in one's family that I think my father had been longing for for too many years. For those of us listening to my father eulogizing, it was a moment of hope that all is not lost and never will be. Even at the age of 90, reconciliation is available.

After the euology, the officiating pastor at the funeral home spoke of the second Sunday of Advent, today. Today we light the candle of peace. The pastor spoke of peace, shalom, and wholeness. We look forward to the peace, in other words, the wholeness and healing that Christ brings/brought at his birth. The events of this year's advent have reminded me of the natural progression of advent. The hope of renewal and reconciliation naturally leads to wholeness, to the peace that passes all understanding.

For my extended family, there is still a lot of brokenness. But the death of my grandfather at the beginning of advent has reminded all of us of the hope we do have and brought reconciliation for some of us. Wholeness, peace, may still feel a long way off, but slowly, hopefully, we will all choose to move towards wholeness and not brokenness.

I look forward to seeing what I learn as we move towards the third Sunday of Advent and light the candle of love.