Peace, in the Advent way, is not a magical moment we happen upon; Advent peace is cultivated through intentional action. This kind of peace does not avoid the suffering or messiness of life but includes it, transforming it into seeds of learning or something greater. Just as God’s action in the Advent story reveals peace through the incarnation, our own actions—when rooted in love and intentionality—can shape both an inner and surrounding world where peace thrives. Image reflects Image!
But what does intentional action look like in our daily lives? It likely begins with small, personal commitments: carving out moments for sacred silence, setting aside distractions to truly listen and be present with others, or extending kindness where grouchiness might otherwise reign. These are acts of personal agency (last week’s theme) that ripple outward, touching lives in ways we will never fully see.
The Advent invitation to intentional action also calls us to examine the world of systems and relationships we inhabit. Are there ways we can contribute to greater harmony in our families, workplaces, or communities? The path to peace often requires great courage—naming injustices, forgiving past ignorances, or working for justice where inequities persist.
This is where peace deepens into Shalom—a wholeness that encompasses mind, body, and spirit…and all surrounding things. It is not utopian perfection but a journey toward attunement: with Reality, ourselves, and others. Such alignment requires great intentionality (and others also exercising agency and action) to step into the uncomfortable but necessary work of deep reconciliation and restoration.
As we light the second candle of Advent, let us reflect on this: peace is not a fleeting emotion or a distant imagined ideal. It is the evidence of a present life lived with intentional action—a life that mirrors the active love of God.
Today, may you dare to take the next action, however small, toward the wholeness you are invited to embody and share.
Shane Ash 