This Sunday we light our fourth symbolic sparkler and remember the meaning of Advent (the visit of Jesus).We wait and we marinate in:
The remembrance of Israel’s yearning for the coming Messiah, to save, forgive and restore them.Our hope for the second coming of Jesus where everything will be restored.The realisation of our own need for Gods grace, through Jesus.
God, stir in our hearts excitement about the visit of your Son.

God, sending Jesus was an act of sheer beauty.

Help us to revel in your beauty and help us to reveal your beauty.

Waiting
The yearning
The ache deep inside
Waiting....waiting....waiting
Fingers in my mouth
Pacing up and down
Dreaming of possibilities
Envy's breeding ground
Staring out the window
Tracing rainbows in the rain
A gnawing in my stomach
The ticking of the clock
Anticipating footsteps
As time goes on and on
The yearning
The ache deep inside
Waiting....waiting...waiting.“Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.…
It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.”
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which Is Above,1986