Yes, it's been a hard year. But it's Advent now. It's time to turn our eyes from what has been to what is coming. It is a season of preparation and anticipation, and not just of family togetherness and traditions with our children and gifts. The promise of Advent runs much deeper than that, and I for one am clinging to it more desperately than ever. He didn't come so we could continue to dwell in fear. He didn't come so we could hold onto our hate and our mistrust and our stubborn opinions. He didn't come so that we could shout each other down with our rightness.

He came to give us hope, peace, joy and love.