Usually the church frets at how hard it is to keep the Season of Advent, with all its solemnity and sense of expectation and emptiness without Christ, the great theme being 'Come, Lord Jesus', whilst the rest of the world seems to spend the month of December partying, shopping and being jolly amidst bright lights and Christmas Carols. But this year (and last) things have been rather different. The month of December is seeing a drastic escalation in Covid rates, which is clearly a real concern to us all, but especially so to our schools and NHS. And as if that wasn't enough, we've had the terrifying migrant Channel deaths and horror, the volcanic eruption in Indonesia and the tornado in Kentucky, to mention but three... So this year we are all living with the contrasts. It is far from a tinsel season.
And that is where the Christian message of hope and resolution is so powerful. Yes, we hold the darkness for a while, but always as a part of our journey towards the light. Yes, we worship a God who died in agony on a cross (the darkness) - but in a way which is fulfilled and transformed by the new life of the resurrection on Easter Day (the light). And we celebrate with such joy and wonder the incarnation and birth of the Christ-child that first Christmas - and in a way in which our joy is not marred by the knowledge of what was to come. In short, perhaps, we keep our eyes open and our feet on the ground - as we rejoice.
I leave you with this 'Song of the Spirit' - the New Testament Canticle at Evening Prayer during Advent. It has a real passion and urgency about it.
Surely I am coming soon.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
1 ‘Behold, I am coming soon’, says the Lord,
‘and bringing my reward with me, ♦
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
2 ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, ♦
the beginning and the end.’
3 Blessed are those who do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, ♦
and may enter into the city through the gates.
4 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you, ♦
with this testimony for all the churches.
5 ‘I am the root and the offspring of David, ♦
I am the bright morning star.’
6 ‘Come!’ say the Spirit and the Bride; ♦
‘Come!’ let each hearer reply.
7 Come forward, you who are thirsty, ♦
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.
Revelation 22.12-14, 16, 17
To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb ♦
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Surely I am coming soon.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Revd Canon Joanna Abecassis
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