Joy to the World! The Lord is Come!
I wonder how your Advent is journey unfolding this year. How your waiting and watching is working out.
With so much darkness in the world it can be a distraction from what God is doing and taking our attention from focussing on the light; Jesus, the Light of the World.
I am constantly aware that God has created us human beings to be able to hold a variety of feelings as we journey through life; joy and sadness, light and dark.
Thomas Merton predicted that humanity would be in a state of ‘organized despair’. It does seem that we’re in this very uncomfortable place. Where shall we go?
Paul gives us a helpful antidote to despair in his letter to the Church in Philippi:
‘Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:4-7 NRSVA
We have two very important words appearing in our liturgical season of Advent; Emmanual – ‘God with us’ and Maranatha – ‘Our Lord Come’. They remind us of holding together the celebration of Jesus’ birth and our desire for His return.
This Sunday is also a time for us to celebrate with the candidates who will be confirmed by bishop David on Sunday evening. The candidates (and another who was confirmed in Winchester Cathedral on Saturday 23rd November) publicly affirming their faith in God and taking on for themselves the responsibility of their faith journey in making the promises made at their baptism by parents and godparents. In their time of preparation, they have each deepened their faith to come to this point in their pilgrimage. We pray for them and with them for a further deepening of their relationship with God and Jesus.
As we join together in this confirmation service let us be in a place of anticipation and hope that we can be part of God’s plan of salvation (rescue) for the world.
Whatever is happening in your life at this time, may you know the joy and the peace of God.
Blessings,
Revd Dave