For years, I have joined a group of friends for an Advent celebration of lessons and carols. One family hosts the group in their home. We eat soup according to what has become our tradition (my friend Emily prepares these amazing charcuterie boards) and we all catch up on the past year. 

But the best part of the evening comes when we pile into the living room. We read from Scripture (some of the children are old enough now to lead readings) and belt out carols. One of my favorite hymns we sing echoes the words of today’s reading from Isaiah, “Comfort, comfort ye my people, / Speak ye peace, thus saith our God. / Comfort those who sit in darkness, / Mourning neath their sorrows’ load.”