Dec. 3, 2023- Whispers in the Dark: Embracing Advent’s Transformative Stillness- Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout

Amid the chill and hush that precedes the snow, Advent whispers to us of endings and beginnings, each story a thread in a great tapestry that covers all eras and lands. The tales of apocalyptic visions—sun darkened, moon obscured, stars cascading from the sky—are less portents of doom, more symbols ripe with potential, waiting for us to unearth ‘treasures of darkness’ held in times of seeming desolation. 

In this time when the world can feel like it’s ending every time we read the news, and the days grow shorter and shorter, what is our sacred task? We are called to listen deeply to the darkness. What holiness is thickening in these darker days? What tenderness is growing inside our hollows, individually and collectively, awaiting birth this season? Let us listen and learn together.

This Advent, let us gather with intention, embracing these ancient narratives not as tales of dread but as prompts for introspection and growth. Together, in our sacred space, we shall seek out the divine amidst the shadows and find within ourselves the ember of transformative hope. Through our listening and reflection, may we uncover that within the darkness, there is not an ending, but the hushed promise of new beginnings.