Second Sunday of Advent

Shabbat Shalom = Peaceful Sabbath

When I send emails I often begin with the phrase ‘peace be with you’, before getting into the ‘work’ of the email.  Jesus would greet his disciples by saying ‘Peace be with you’ both before and after his resurrection.  The Greek and Hebrew root words are describing a ‘wholeness’ of self, a peace that comes from being whole and grounded in the peace that passes understanding.  This week we light the second candle, representing Peace, as we celebrate the second Sunday of Advent.  The Hebrew phrase Shabbat Shalom is rich in meaning and it calls us deeper into the Sabbath, our day of rest and communion with the Lord and one another. 

As we worship together this week, may God grant us all a deeper experience and understanding of Shabbat Shalom.  May we be touched by His love as we participate and worship, as we light this second candle representing peace, and meditate on the only true place of stability, Jesus, whose coming was foretold by his cousin John the Baptist and may our Advent pilgrimage be guided by the peace of Christ.

~Sr. Grace Ford, Er. Dio.