Dear friends,
As we anticipate Christmas, we come to the season of Advent once again. In the Advent Guide from The Bible for Normal People, Advent is “a time of longing, learning, and preparation. It is a time during which new followers
of Jesus, long-time Christians, and even curious seekers of God can contemplate the hope, peace, joy, and love associated with the first and second comings of Jesus.
On the first Sunday of Advent, we talk about Hope. This Sunday coincides with World AIDS Day. Some of you may not have experienced living through the early years of the pandemic, when AIDS was a death sentence. Today, with access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives. There is hope. Yet, there is still shame attached to HIV.
To me, hope is our trust in the love of God. The God who became incarnate as a human to show us the extent of that love that reaches out to us even in our shame and darkness. That is what we are waiting for. Come, and wait with me for Christmas, and the coming of Christ.
See you on Sunday!
Shalom
miak