As in the prophecy of Malachi, there is no promise of joy without reference to the curse. In our class this morning, there was a witness who reminded us of the wrath of God. In this world, there can be no talk of heaven without talk also of hell. But there is light ahead. In the collect that we will say together on Sunday, the great collect for the first Sunday of Advent, we will pray to “cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life”
