First Sunday of Advent reminds us that hope is our calling even in the darkest times

Ask almost anyone, anywhere, and they’ll tell you that 2025 has been a hard year. We’ve witnessed global wars, school shootings and an alarming rise in political violence. We’ve endured a cost-of-living crisis, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, natural disasters that have affected millions, and much, much more.

For many of us, this year has felt like one setback after another. In the midst of this reality, it is easy to focus on the evil in this world and lose hope.

Hope is such a simple word but it holds so much meaning and significance, especially today, on the first Sunday of Advent. While the first candle in the Advent wreath is often referred to as the "hope" candle, it also has another name that adds depth and richness. It is also known as the Prophet’s Candle.

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Named for the Old Testament prophets who faithfully waited for the Messiah, their stories add context to the kind of hope this candle represents. It is a patient hope — a hope that endures in the face of suffering. Above all, it is a hope that will be realized. That’s what we remember this Sunday, and that’s why we light the wreath every year. It’s not just a tradition. It’s a reminder that light will overcome darkness.

The first candle in the Advent wreath is often referred to as the "hope" candle. It also has another name that adds depth and richness. It is also known as the Prophet’s Candle. (iStock)

In a study published in MIT Technology Review, researchers found that the human eye can see a single candle flame from just over 1.7 miles away. Even a small, solitary candle can stand against incredible darkness. More than that, it’s the presence of the darkness that makes the glow of the candle shine all the more brightly.

The same is true of hope in this world. Hope, like light, is more powerful than the darkness of evil. That’s why the Apostle John uses the imagery of light and darkness in the opening verses of his gospel, saying, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

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I will be the last to minimize the hardships of this year. However, I want to be the first to remind everyone that God has shown up in beautiful, powerful ways. Each and every instance of God’s hand at work serves as a reminder that our hope is sure and that He will put all things right in the end.

But we aren’t supposed to wait around, simply expecting God to act. Instead, He invites us to participate, to help bring His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. He expects each of us to represent a tangible hope by loving our neighbors, feeding the hungry and caring for the sick.

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In October, 22 people graduated from the CityServe Educational Collaborative, a program in Kern County, California, where CityServe is headquartered, that provides life coaching and job-skills training to those experiencing obstacles or a painful past. During the ceremony, one graduate read a poem reflecting on the power and impact of the program. One line rings especially true today:

"You are vessels of hope."

Hope, like light, is more powerful than the darkness of evil.  (iStock)

These words remind us that hope isn’t simply an idea. It is tangible and embodied in action. It meets people wherever they are on their journey.

That’s what is happening at the Elevate apartments in Bakersfield, California. It’s at these apartments that those without stable housing are offered an affordable, safe home, with a fighting chance of success in every aspect of their lives — personally, professionally and spiritually.

Each and every instance of God’s hand at work serves as a reminder that our hope is sure and that He will put all things right in the end. (istock)

It’s also why thousands of individuals, organizations and churches around the world partnered to build the Ein Habesor Sports Complex in Israel, a resource that provides a safe and secure space for recreation and rejuvenation to the people of Ein Habesor who were brutally attacked on the night of Oct. 7.

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These are just two examples of the transformation that God can bring about when his people fulfill their responsibility to be vessels of hope. The hope of a Messiah coming to rescue his people in an imperfect world isn’t just something we read about each Christmas season. It can be a daily reality, proven over and over again around the world when we find a way to help fix what’s broken.

A Palestinian Christian woman prays in a candlelit corner of St. Catherine’s Church, the Roman Catholic church adjoining the Church of the Nativity, during Sunday services in Bethlehem on December 22, 2002. (Getty)

We do this not in our own power, but as people reflecting the light of the greatest hope for all mankind — Jesus Christ. Because of Him, our hope incarnate, we can be light in the darkness and persevere in the face of evil for the good of our neighbor. It is into that most holy work that we are invited, not just this Advent season, but every day of our lives.