Lord, we gather around this symbol of our waiting for you. May the never-ending circle of this wreath and its evergreen branches remind us of the eternal life you came to bring us. May the flames of these candles remind us of the light you bring into the darkness of our own sin and of our troubled world. Bless this wreath and those who look at it during this Advent season. Let it be a sign of hope and a challenge to prepare our hearts for your coming: at Christmas, at the end of time, and your various “comings” in our daily lives. Amen.