Before the First Candle is Lit
As we stand on the threshold of Advent, there is a quiet invitation that begins to stir in the soul. It is the soft rustle of hope rising again, the tender nudge of God’s Spirit reminding us that our story is held within a much greater story, one shaped by mercy, truth, and promise. Before the candles are lit and before the hymns of longing fill our churches, there is a moment like this, where Christ the King meets us and steadies us for the road ahead.
Christ the King Sunday is far more than a crown or a title. It reveals a Saviour whose authority looks nothing like earthly power. His sovereignty is born from love so humble that it kneels to wash feet, love so faithful that it carries a cross, love so enduring that it breaks open the tomb. When we honour Christ as King, we honour the One who reigns from a place of service, compassion, and self-giving peace. This reminder comes at the edge of Advent, almost as if the Church is whispering to us, “Look carefully at the kind of King who is coming.”
The weeks ahead will lead us toward Bethlehem, but today we take our bearings. We choose again to let Christ shape the way we walk, breathe, pray, and respond to the world around us. Advent is not a countdown to Christmas; it is a pilgrimage of the heart. A time to clear space for grace, to soften what has grown hardened, and to awaken the hope that lies beneath all our busyness and worry. Christ the King Sunday anchors us before we begin this journey. It reminds us that we are accompanied by One who knows our hidden aches and our unspoken hopes, One who carries us with patience and tenderness.
In many ways, this Sunday is a gentle reorientation. It calls us to look at our lives through the lens of Christ’s Kingdom, where forgiveness is strength, where justice is mercy alive in action, and where every person carries the image of God. When we let this vision take root, Advent becomes more than a season. It becomes a way of living. It becomes the posture of a heart learning to wait with faith, to trust with courage, and to welcome the Light even in places that feel shadowed.
You and I know well that the world often feels restless and weary. Yet Christ’s reign is not shaken by our uncertainty. It is steady, bright, and completely rooted in love. As we move toward Advent, let us step into the season with a renewed longing for that love to shape who we are becoming. May we walk with humility, listen with tenderness, and serve with open hands.
And perhaps the Spirit is inviting you to pause for a moment today and notice one place in your life where Christ’s gentle kingship is calling you to begin again.
May the coming season bless you with hope, peace, and a quiet courage that only Christ can give.
