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.
Comments