FOUR CANDLES

FOUR CANDLES WERE BURNING

ON THE ADVENT WREATH,

IT WAS SO QUIET

THAT YOU COULD

HEAR THE

CANDLES START

TO SPEAK.

THE FIRST CANDLE SIGHED AND SAID:

“MY NAME IS PEACE.

MY LIGHT IS BURNING, BUT PEOPLE AREN’T LIVING IN

PEACE.”

Its light got dimmer and dimmer and finally went out completely...

THE SECOND CANDLE FLICKERED AND SAID,

“MY NAME IS FAITH,BUT I AM NO LONGER

NEEDED.PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO

HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GOD. THERE IS NO POINT IN

MY BURNING ANYMORE.”

A draft entered the room and blew the second candle out...

A SAD, FAINT VOICE EMERGED FROM THE THIRD CANDLE:

“MY NAME IS LOVE.

I NO LONGER HAVE THE STRENGTH TO BURN. PEOPLE

HAVE CAST ME ASIDE.THEY ONLY SEE THEMSELVES, NOT THE ONES THEY SHOULD

LOVE.”

And with one last flicker, this candle, too, went dark...

A CHILD ENTERED THE ROOM.

HE LOOKED AT THE CANDLES AND SAID:

“BUT YOU AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE OUT,

YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE BURNING!”

A n d h e a l m o s t b e g a n t o c r y…

THEN THE FOURTH CANDLE SPOKE. IT SAID:

“DON’T BE AFRAID! AS LONG AS I AM BURNING, WE CAN

LIGHT THE OTHER CANDLES, TOO.

MY NAME IS HOPE!”

THE CHILD TOOK A MATCH AND LIT THE OTHER CANDLES FROM THE

CANDLE OF HOPE.

The flame of hope must never

die...

...and each of us should keep the

flames of PEACE, FAITH,LOVE

& HOPEalive.

Wishing you

PEACE

FAITH

LOVEHOPE

For the year 2011

Happy New Year Vanita