A Reading for the Second Sunday of Advent

Relight the first purple candle.

Introduction

The word “advent” means coming. Advent is a season of expectation and longing. It’s a time when we prepare to celebrate the arrival of Christ in his incarnation, and a reminder that Christ is coming again to make all things new.

With each candle of Advent this year, we are rehearsing God’s story of redemption. The second candle reminds us of our need for God’s light due to the darkness of sin.

Scripture

Isaiah 59 says:

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness. . . .
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
desolation and destruction are in their highways.
The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
(Isa. 59:1-3, 7-9)

Light the second purple candle.     

We light the second candle of Advent to lament the darkness of this fallen world, as we wait for the light of Christ to dawn.

Prayer

Please pray with me:

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.”* Heavenly Father, we lament the darkness that fills this world—the grip that sin has on so many, the pain it causes, and the offense it brings to your holy name. Forgive us our sins, and let the light of your gospel shine into the darkness this Advent season. Amen.

*John 3:19