Advent is a season of hope. Advent reminds us that the coming weeks before Christmas may be hectic and busy but in the midst of everything is hope. The gift of hope can often be unused or under used. But hope is such a powerful force that can pull us out of darkness and energise us to keep going one step at a time. What gives you hope today and in this run in to Christmas?

Last Saturday Dec 8th was the feast day of Mary the Immaculate Conception. It was traditionally a day when the Christmas shopping officially began but events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday have changed this in recent years. Dec 8th may seem just like any other day but it is still a special day during the month of December. Spiritually it marks Mary out as someone special as the mother of Jesus but it doesn’t mark her out as removed or distant from us. Like us she experienced the fragility of life and experienced many unexpected and difficult moments in her life. But at all times she put her trust in God. She was a woman of hope and allowed this to energise her each day.

This is the challenge for us. Where would we be if we are not people of hope? Where would we be if we are not a person of hope? Mary was a woman of hope and it kept her going through the good days but particularly during the touch and difficult days. In all the complexities of life and the world we live in, we too are invited to put our trust and hope in God. The feast day of Mary on Dec 8th, is a reminder that we will not be disappointed when we put our trust in God.