As we look to Advent with the next four Sundays representing hope, faith, joy, and peace, we begin by lighting a candle on The Advent wreath. I encourage you and your family to watch the film The Christmas Candle. The setting is in the fictional Village of Gladbury, set in 1890, where every 25 years an angel visits the town candlemaker and bestows a miracle upon whoever lights The Christmas Candle. Everyone in town believes in this miracle with the exception of the new pastor. As the Pastor preaches on Advent themes. he tries without success to convince the town folk to believe in God and not candle miracles.
When the candles are distributed amongst them, the people hope that the Christmas Candle will be received by someone most in need. Again, the Pastor encourages people to pray and not seek hope and change through a candle. A wiring of the church with new “modern” lightbulbs is to serve as a further example not to rely on candles. I don’t want to spoil the story. As you watch this film, the teaching of belief and trusting in God shines through. In the end the light of Christ radiates and the Pastor’s faith in miracles is restored.
What better time than the Advent/Christmas season to find miracles all around us. Mary Jo