The fourth candle. A light in the darkness. Whatever the darkness is in this season. For me loss. For others anxiety. Or fear. Or heaviness. The love candle is lit in the midst of it all to remind us that love wins. It always wins, even when I cannot see it.

“Let there be light.” God’s first spoken words. Eons ago. And light is still being created across the heavens. Light shatters darkness. One candle. Not huge flames, just one spark and the light splits the shadows. Because, “God is light and in him there is no darkness.” When he comes on the scene clarity reigns. Chaos flees. Therefore, when I feel shrouded in in darkness, I must wait for the light to arrive. I sit in the discomfort hoping for a spark. Hoping for love to break through.

On a beach in Australia, love wins because ultimately, it’s not about a candle, or even 8 candles. The candles represent a deeper truth. The light lives within all of God’s children who are created in his image…with or without candles. If all the candles in the world were destroyed the light would not be…could not be. Yet, this year, too many were snuffed out prematurely. So much loss. Pain. Heartache. And still, those left behind carry the light forward. From day 1 of Hanukah through day eight and beyond. They carry it to others to heal the pain and hold space for the sorrow. Resilience has done it before, taken what was meant for destruction and used it to demonstrate light in the darkness.

Here at home, the darkness seems to be growing. The violence expanding. A war against the light is waging. Hearts are heavy. Eyes are wet with tears. Hate is escalating. The tension is mounting. Oh, how we long for the light. Oh, how we long for love to rule. We didn’t know how much we longed for it until the darkness showed us. We never know how much we value the light, until it goes missing.

The opposite of love isn’t hate, it is fear. Fear is the seed which takes root and weaves its way into our hearts. Gradually, the seed germinates and the roots thicken to coax buds of hate from us. Fear and hate are the one-two punch. Fear creates a void which must be filled. Hate is more than happy to do the filling. When we are afraid we are more susceptible to listen to voices other than God’s. Voices that run through our minds, media, anxious others, radio, TV, social media… and sometimes even our own voice betrays us by listening to all the others. Instead we should listen to Love’s voice.

My mind is full of memories this year. Sweet ones. But the memories remind me of the huge hole in my heart these days. Sorrow’s voice. Grief’s voice. They blend with my own inability to string sentences together. With my brain fog. My disjointed attempt to put words to paper is a struggle. I know Love’s voice will carry me through this season. It always breaks through the darkness. Speaking the truth. God is love. God is light. It is love week in advent. A candle lit to remind us. Perfect Love casts out fear. Love wins.