Unsettling Advent 2024, Day 17
“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. … With righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11:1,4-6)
Christians worldwide observe Advent, a season filled with hope and joy. Advent signifies the “coming” or “arrival,” as millions anticipate celebrating Christ’s birth. The child named Emmanuel, meaning “God with us,” was born in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago.
But what does it mean to wait in the hope of Advent?
This question resonates profoundly, especially for those in the Middle East today who face displacement, bombings, hunger, unjust detainment, and the relentless presence of war and terror.
The past 14 months in the Middle East have been marked by immense trauma. What does it mean to “wait for hope this Advent Season” in a place like Gaza, where there have been over 430 days of near-daily bombings? The death toll in mid-December approaches 45,000. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and internationals, and about 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with only a third believed to be alive.
Lebanon, known for its strong and stalwart Christian community, suffered greatly from the war between Hezbollah and Israel, resulting in more than 3,700 Lebanese deaths and more than 15,000 wounded. As of late November, Israel saw the death of 45 civilians and 73 soldiers in South Lebanon, Northern Israel, and the occupied Golan Heights.
In this context, Advent becomes a period of yearning for a future defined by peace rather than war. For Christians in the Middle East, Advent embodies waiting in hope.
Waiting in hope need not be passive; it can be an active, fully embodied experience. Diligent prayer and ardent advocacy are means to shift the current earthly realities. This active waiting must also embrace activism and advocacy as a means to challenge the status quo and advocate for solutions beyond weapons and warfare in the Middle East.
As we reflect on Advent, we are reminded of the strength found in hope and the power of collective action. With partners worldwide, Churches for Middle East Peace invites you to join our Advent Not Arms campaign. Join us and Christians worldwide calling for the withholding of weapons and the laying down of arms. We are calling for an end to all violence and war. Send letters, contact your elected officials, host prayer gatherings and vigils, write op-eds and letters to your local newspapers — do all you can to raise your voices and say, “Advent must be a season of peace and not war!”
We can do so much together as we wait in Advent hope — moving together toward increased understanding and transformation toward tangible and lasting change. We hold onto the hope of Advent, waiting for the coming of the Prince of Peace, as we work together and wait in hope for peace to come.
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon is executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace and author of Beyond Hashtag Activism: Comprehensive Justice in a Complicated Age. As part of CMEP’s “Advent Not Arms” campaign, they released a letter Monday (Dec. 16) from more than 200 global Christian bishops and executive leaders, and on Wednesday they will host a virtual vigil.