Meditation for the Fourth Candle of Advent: the Candle of Love

With the fourth Sunday 

comes the lighting of the fourth candle, 

the candle of Love. 

Our wait is almost over, 

the circle is complete.

We have watched and waited, 

We have trodden the path of the four thousand year longing for light, 

for love;

and, 

at the darkest moment 

a spark is kindled 

as 

a pure light of love 

is born into our benighted world. 

The spark struck is Mary, 

The Woman 

whose name means 

full of light.

The girl 

who is our solstice. 

She is 

the perfect place 

of stillness,

so attuned to the Light

that in her all creation stills, 

the ancient cycle of sin is broken 

and 

even the darkness must yield 

to 

the Coming of the Sun of Justice.

Her womb 

is the first place of Easter;

the cave of rebirth and resurrection 

in which 

eternity and time 

are married,

and infinity will wed itself 

forever 

to clay's embrace. 

Here Eve's aching 

is healed 

and 

here Adam's sin 

is undone,

and from the dry root 

of the 

sundering tree 

a new shoot rises 

at the word of

One 

whose whole being 

is yes, 

whose whole being 

is 

Love.

"Behold the Handmaid of The Lord,

be it done unto me according to thy Word!"