Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for December 9, 2007
Candle Light Ceremony - Peace
This is the second Sunday of Advent! We continue on our journey to Christmas with only two more Sundays after today to prepare our hearts to feel more of that same Christ that Jesus lived and taught. Today we light our second candle. Each day is like a step on our journey. Like wise men we get closer to inner peace. Our candle today is for peace. With more light we build peace inside ourselves.
Advent is a journey of faith and courage. It is a time to prepare for spiritual rebirth. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we also celebrate the birth of our awareness of the Christ Spirit within. So let this Advent season be your personal journey to a rebirth of the spirit of hope, peace, love, and joy.
LIGHT THE CANDLE OF PEACE - ADVENT
(Isaiah 9:2) "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--on them light has shined."
We are on a four-week journey to Christmas. The four candles here are for each Sunday before we celebrate the birth of Christ through Jesus, an event symbolic of spiritual new-birth in each of us. In these four Sundays, we will complete our trip to Christmas
and as we light each Candle, let us light up ourselves.
(Isaiah 9:6) "For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
We are now going to sing one verse of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" as we light the first candle for Hope and the second candle which stands for Peace. This is known as the Bethlehem Candle and represents the preparation to receive the Christ.
If you would now close your eyes, just become still, and go within. Allow yourself to just contemplate these scriptural verses and if God guides you to do so, say your own prayer silently.
(1 Samuel 25:6) "Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have."
(Isaiah 26:3-4) "Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace - in peace because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock."
(Matthew 5:8-9) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
(John 14:26-27) "Jesus said, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
(Romans 8:5-6) "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."
(Romans 14:17-19) "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."
(Ephesians 2:13-18) "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father."
(Colossians 3:15-16) "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God."
(2 Thessalonians 3:16) "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you."
AMEN
Our first two candles are lighted. On this, the second Sunday before Christmas we light two candles as has been done for almost 2000 years.
TWELVE POWERS CANDLE LIGHTING
At Christmas time, we have a tradition of lighting twelve candles in honor of the twelve disciples of Jesus. We celebrate the Divine qualities that they represent as the twelve attributes of being from which all other Divine ideas spring. Those are: Faith, Imagination, Judgment, Life, Love, Order, Power, Renunciation, Strength, Understanding, Will, and Zeal
PETER FAITH
So I would like to start this Candle Lighting Ceremony by inviting Peter to come forward. Peter is the disciple whose faith, once developed, made him a greatly inspired leader. Through the Christ faith within, we are steadfast. With faith in God, we have the courage to trust in right and good outcomes.
PETER: I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of FAITH. I bring the gift of faith. >From our innermost being, we give to the world our gift of faith. This is the faith that knows God is the true essence of everything. Our faith is unshakable. We know God is the power at work in every situation. Our faith acknowledges all people everywhere. You are the Christ, the son and daughter of the living God. You are God's dearly beloved. This candle represents our gift of faith in the presence and power of God active in the universe.
ANDREW STRENGTH
Next I would like to invite Andrew to come forward. Andrew had a great strength of character and was Jesus' first real friend. He was also a fisherman, and a brother to Peter. Through Christ strength within, we are strong. We have the fortitude to overcome all challenges.
ANDREW: I am the disciple Andrew and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of STRENGTH. I bring the gift of strength. >From our innermost being, we give to the world our gift of strength. Christ is our strength. In the midst of confusion we trust in God. We acknowledge our patience and steadfastness in Truth. We hold in prayer for all people, everywhere, that they have the inner resources and strength to do what is theirs to do. God is our refuge and our strength. With God all things are possible. We hold the High Watch for others. This candle represents the spiritual strength we bring to our world.
JAMES WISDOM
I would like to invite James to come forward. James was a fisherman, and fished with his father, Zebedee, and his brother John. These two brothers, James and John, were called "the sons of thunder." James was one of the three disciples who were part of the inner circle. He went with Jesus, as did John and Peter, to the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before the crucifixion.
JAMES: I am the disciple James, son of Zebedee and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of WISDOM. I bring the gift of Divine wisdom. >From our innermost being we give to the world the gift of wisdom. Divine wisdom is being established in all people everywhere. May each person develop the ability to make wise decisions; to remember and retain needed information; to put things into proper perspective; to weigh options and to make right choices. This gift comes from our hearts and minds and flows freely into God's great world. This candle represents our gift of Divine Wisdom for all.
JOHN LOVE
I would like to invite John to come forward. John was a fisherman by trade and known as the beloved disciple. He was devoted to Jesus and stayed with Jesus' mother, Mary, at the foot of the cross during the crucifixion. Through the Christ love within us, we are filled with peace and harmony. We attract good into our lives.
JOHN: I am the disciple John and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of LOVE. I bring the gift of God's unconditional Love. From our innermost being, we give to the world the gift of our Love. As God's creation, we are important and are needed to fill our own particular niche in life. No one else can express God's love. We acknowledge God's love in action through us. We bless others through us. We bless others through our gift of love. This candle represents the spiritual Love we send forth into our world.
PHILIP POWER
I would like to invite Phillip to come forward. Philip was among the first to join Jesus. He was able to affect great healings through the power of the spoken word. Through the power of our indwelling Christ our words are empowered to shape our world. We speak only words of faith, optimism, wisdom, and love.
PHILLIP: I am the disciple Phillip and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of POWER. I bring the gift of Divine Power. >From our innermost being, we give the world the gift of power. The powerful affirmation of the Truth of God is our gift to the world this Christmas season. Through the power of the Christ within we bless the world. We release this power in positive ways, uplifting, creating, liberating and enlightening as we speak. We affirm only good; we affirm only love; we affirm only peace. This candle represents the one power and presence of God on earth.
BARTHOLOMEW IMAGINATION
I would like to invite Bartholomew to come forward. Bartholomew was recognized by Jesus as a man of imagination and vision. He immediately acknowledged the spiritual truth about Jesus and saw in him the Christ spirit. Through the imaging power of the indwelling Christ, we see the good in every person, situation, and event.
BARTHOLOMEW: I am the disciple Bartholomew and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of IMAGINATION. I bring the gift of God's creative imagination. From our innermost being, we give the world the gift of imagination. We imagine a world full of love. We imagine a world of peace. We imagine everyone well fed. We imagine every home prospered. We imagine everyone reaching his or her full potential. We imagine all people realizing that they are God's beloved and living in accordance with this truth. This candle represents our ability to imagine heaven on earth.
THOMAS UNDERSTANDING
I would like to invite Thomas to come forward. Thomas was another of the fisherman. Often called the "doubter," because of his insistence on proof, his doubt deepened his faith as he came to understand that spiritual principles are more certain than observable facts. Through the light of the indwelling Christ, we understand that the divine plan is unfolding despite appearances to the contrary, through the working of spiritual law.
THOMAS: I am the disciple Thomas and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of UNDERSTANDING. I bring the gift of understanding. From our innermost being, we give the world the gift of understanding. We recognize there are many troubled situations in our world and to these situations we give understanding. The foundation of our world is God and we give strength to that foundation by our understanding. We acknowledge the good - active in our lives. We give thanks that the perfect, full expression of the Christ is present within all people. We affirm Divine Understanding for all. This candle represents our understanding that God is the source of truth and guidance in all situations.
MATTHEW WILL
I would like to invite Matthew to come forward. Matthew, a well-educated and wealthy tax collector for the Romans, left all his worldly attributes of success behind without a moment's hesitation to join Jesus. The indwelling Christ guides our will. We let God's perfect will be done in all that we think, say, and do.
MATTHEW: I am the disciple Matthew and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of WILL. I bring the gift of Divine Will. >From our innermost being, we give to the world the gift of our will. We let go of all small ego concerns. We relax our hold on earthly demands. We let go of tension and stress. We know that God is in charge of this world and we give to the world our willingness to let God's perfect will be done. We acknowledge that God's will for all people is good and only good. This candle represents our will. We turn our will over to God and let God's will be done.
JAMES ORDER
I would like to invite James to come forward. James, thought to have been a cousin of Jesus, became the first Bishop of Jerusalem and was highly respected for his knowledge of the law. The indwelling Christ establishes order in our lives as we recognize that all things work together for good.
JAMES: I am the disciple James, son of Alphaeus and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of ORDER. I bring the gift of order. From our innermost being, we give the world the gift of order. We realize there is no need or situation that the divine order of God cannot harmonize, adjust and make right. Our trust in God establishes Divine Order. We are in tune with the Infinite. Our gift of order establishes itself in proper timing and perfect peace. All confusion and disorder are dissolved. The presence of God is active in the world in an orderly, peaceful and loving way. This candle represents our dedication to Divine Order in our world.
SIMON ZEAL
I would like to invite Simon to come forward. Simon had a great enthusiasm for transforming the world. The indwelling Christ tempers our zeal with judgment. We develop extraordinary ability in spiritual wisdom, love and power and do God's will with enthusiasm.
SIMON: I am the disciple Simon and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of ZEAL. I bring the gift of zeal. From our innermost being, we give to the world the gift of our zeal. Our joy, enthusiasm and zeal bring a sparkle into the world. The indomitable Spirit of God uplifts and sustains us. Whatever the need, the Spirit of God lifts us up and all is fulfilled. We celebrate the joy and enthusiasm that bubbles up and bursts forth into the world, bringing the everlasting gift of God's good. This candle represents the joy we send forth through the power of our spiritual zeal.
THADDEUS RENUNCIATION
I would like to invite Thaddeus to come forward. Thaddeus, brother of James, urged the world to renounce all which would separate them from the goodness of God. Through the power of the indwelling Christ, we let go of all that we no longer have a use for and release the energies of thoughts and feelings which are not worthy of the Christ within. We make room for God to fill our lives. We are free from the baggage of the past and error thinking which has weighed us down. We are free as we move into a field of unlimited possibility.
THADDEUS: I am the disciple Thaddeus and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of RENUNCIATION. I bring the gift of renunciation. From our innermost being, we give to the world the gift of our renunciation. Our world is cleansed as we release all that no longer serves us through the power of our indwelling Christ. With one clean sweep, the power of Christ frees us from mistaken ideas and makes room for higher concepts of Truth. Hurts of the past, misunderstandings and sorrows are washed away. We release all unforgiving thoughts and feelings. We let go of the past. We establish a new, fresh beginning. This candle represents our gift of renunciation to the world as we release all that no longer serves us.
JUDAS LIFE
I would like to invite Judas to come forward. Judas had hoped that Jesus would become a mighty king. He placed his whole attention on the establishment of a new political structure, and betrayed Jesus because he believed that Jesus would not allow himself to be killed. Following the betrayal, and the death of Judas, the disciples elected a new disciple to replace Judas; whose name was Matthias. The indwelling Christ guides and governs the wellsprings of life within us. As the manipulative, self-absorbed Judas life in us departs, our life energy renews itself and, like the Phoenix, emerges as a faculty through which the Life Force can express a higher purpose.
JUDAS: I am the disciple Judas and I light this candle in honor of the Christ faculty of LIFE. I bring the gift of vibrant and healthy life. From our innermost being, we give the world the gift of life. We acknowledge that every phrase of life has its divine purpose. We rejoice each day in the new ideas, discoveries, revelations and involvement of the day. We bring the awareness of spiritual life to every part of life. We bless the people, the animals, the plants and all living things. We give thoughts of pure vibrant health and revitalizing life to every area of our own life and to every area of the lives of others. This candle represents the gift of life in our world.
LET MY LITTLE LIGHT SHINE
The small candles that were given to you, are to remind you that you have been entrusted with a gift of God, the Christ within, and that as Jesus became the light of the world by letting His light shine, so that same Christ light, quickened and glowing in each of us, is to become the light of our world, and is even to reach beyond our own world into the life of others.
The candles were given to you unlighted, because you alone can bring forth the light that is within you, even though others may call it forth by the inspiration that they give you.
You are to light them from the light of the universal Christ, for it is in the light of the Christ that we find the light within us and learn how to bring it into expression. You are to place your candle in the salt, there to let it shine and add its brightness to "the light of the world."
So this simple ceremony becomes a prayer of the hand and the heart as well as of the lips so that the Truth which it symbolizes may be speedily manifest for you.
Before you light your candle please remove the special blessing that has been lovingly selected with the prayer that it may reach the person for whom the Spirit intends it. Then return to your seat with your prayer for this coming year.
Dear God, Your peace is my peace. In the depths of my soul lives a sense of peace that nothing can disturb. You are my inner source of comfort and strength that calms me as I prepare for Christmas and anticipate the coming year.
You are my assurance of security and serenity. Your presence within me is my source of happiness, fulfillment, and prosperity. You are my foundation of wholeness physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
As I begin this second week of Advent, I affirm peace in every heart and mind and I let peace begin within me. As a center of peace, I have a positive effect on the people and situations around me through my positive thoughts, words, and actions and my affirmative prayers.
I am thankful for the peace I find in your presence, God. Your presence of peace within assures me of the peace that is possible in every circumstance. Thank You for peace in my heart. Thank You for peace among my family, among community members, among nations, and among all humanity. Thank You, God, for peace. AMEN
May this Christmas season be a wonderful journey of rebirth for you. May you take time to prepare your heart and mind in prayer and listen to the still small voice within. Trust in your faith, knowing that it provides strength, peace, and confidence to meet whatever comes your way.
SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 9:6; 1 Samuel 25:6; Isaiah 26:3-4; Matthew 5:8-9; John 14:26-27; Romans 8:5-6;
Romans 14:17-19; Ephesians 2:13-18; Colossians 3:15-16; 2 Thessalonians 3:16
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Last updated
December 8, 2007
