Advent


We live on the borderlands between heaven and earth, time and eternity, between the place where Jesus came to us at our Christmas and to which he will come again at the end of time. You will notice that the journeying forms a Cross. 

It mirrors the decisions that we have to make along the way.  One decision that has already been made for us is that Jesus loves us and will not let us go.  The Latin for Coming is Advent – Jesus who came at Christmas, will come at the End of Time, and come to us always. 

Advent  Sunday marks the beginning of the Church’s New Year.  ‘Stir up we beseech them O Lord the Wills of thy faith people ‘…   said the Prayer Book. We, who are in the middle of things, say Amen… and chose for today’s reflection that part of the journey which takes us from Bethlehem to Jerusalem.

More particularly we reflect on the experience of  being  led by the Spirit, out from our front door on  a Sunday (say) morning and being deposited,  kneeling or sitting (or even standing), before the alter at the beginning of the  Communion Service. The decision that we should be there has already been made by Jesus, so we say thank you for that and for those who are with us. We can (and indeed must) talk to our friends later, but before then we have other business to do in the rather short time that is usually (you will know how true that is) what we have left ourselves with before the service begins. In the communion service there are spaces …   with needs, forgiveness, thankfulness… that are yours… mine...  to fill, and which nobody else can.


We are to love our neighbours as ourselves. Our love for them depends on our love for ourselves. When Jesus asks us what we want to be forgiven for, what or who is dearest to us, do we have nothing to ask for… or to say? In the short time after shutting our front door, it is not too late for lists can be made, and spaces filled that are all ours.

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