This week we begin the Advent season with a question at the heart of our hope: “What child is this?” Not a sentimental Christmas card version of Jesus, but the Christ who enters a world that feels—then and now—like the book of Lamentations: weary, anxious, grieving, longing for something better. In this episode, we explore how the birth of Jesus interrupts the shadow of empire with a defiant flicker of hope, and why Advent invites us not to escape the world’s pain but to look for God breaking into it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the news, exhausted by uncertainty, or wondering how hope fits into this moment of history, this message is for you. Let’s begin our journey into Advent together.