Every Wednesday we invite you to pause and pray with us. Today’s Pause & Pray was written and curated by Pyoungkang Kim.

Image: Festival of Lights(2000) by John August Swanson

Meditate:

The world we live in today is filled with the threat of war, causing countless people to suffer and endure pain. They go through extremely cold and challenging times. In a world deep in darkness, full of injustice and conflict, there is an urgent need for peace. The Festival of Lights we are contemplating today is a work by John August Swanson. In this work, he is in his reminiscence of walking with groups in candlelight for peace in Central America. Through the symbol of candles brightening the darkness, he imagines the children from every nook and cranny of the world to bring light and peace to the world. By Swanson hoping for more children to gather and join the procession, this artwork also encourages us to join the endless procession towards peace and nonviolence for the world.
Now, we are spending Advent through the Christian Year. Advent is a time of waiting for the coming of Jesus, the source of light that illuminates the darkness. Waiting for the arrival of Jesus Christ as the light means anticipating the light of peace that will brighten this world immersed in darkness. In this work, children represent those gathered from every city and town around the world to yearn for peace. Their procession is the shout for nonviolence and peace in the face of war. What can we do for those in the midst of war today? The earnest, quiet shout of the children holding their candlelights, saying ‘Do not destroy our world,’ echoes our earnest desire for light and peace in this world. We earnestly await Jesus Christ, who will come in peace, and pray that Jesus Christ who is embodied in us will shine light into this world that is immersed in darkness by us walking in groups together, holding the candlelights. I pray that you and I will spend the season of Advent waiting for Jesus Christ to come to light with a desperate wait for peace as we proactively and peacefully march together for peace.

Pray:

God of light, we praise the name of the Lord, who is our life and light. We await Jesus Christ, who comes as the warm light of life to this cold and dark world. Lord, please drive away this deep darkness that we cannot overcome with our strength alone and overcome the long-standing despair within us. Lord, as you have said, ‘You are the light of the world,’ make us truly a light so that we may live.
When we see someone in need of help, please help us not look away, and when we meet someone who asks for help, please help us respond to them with a willing heart. Please help us always live with the peace and warmth of the heart that you created us into and that want to help others.
Lord, we pray for those who have become refugees wandering in various parts of the world seeking refuge. Please have mercy on those who had no choice but to leave their homeland and family, fleeing from war, famine, and oppression. In this cold winter, Lord, we are praying for those whose bodies and hearts are suffering not just from the coldness of their body, but of this world. Help us to be compassionate and share their struggles and agonies. May the international community and each country embrace them with a wide open arm and warm and welcoming hearts. In the name of Jesus Christ, who comes as light in the world, we pray. Amen.

Listen:

“Within our Darkest Night (Dans Nos Obscurites)” by Taizé

Within our darkest night,
you kindle the fire
that never dies away,
that never dies away.
Within our darkest night,
you kindle the fire
that never dies away,
that never dies away.

어두운 맘 속에 주여 영원히
꺼지지 않는 불 밝혀주소서.
어두운 맘 속에 주여 영원히
꺼지지 않는 불 밝혀주소서.