Words of Light and Hope from Helena Crockford (LLM)

Words of Light and Hope from

Helena Crockford LLM

 

David Hoyle talks about the season of Advent in his book A Year of Grace:

“Advent brings us face to face with our limits, it plunges us into uncertainty. The word ‘Advent’ comes from the same root as the word adventure. These weeks before Christmas are like a rollercoaster ride. Advent is the season when we are reminded that the future is not what we make it, but what God gives us; the season when we give the future back to God.”

The two priest-poets George Herbert and Malcolm Guite have both written poems about calling for God to come. 

O Emmanuel by Malcolm Guite (1957-)

O come, O come, and be our God-with-us,

O long-sought with-ness for a world without,

O secret seed, O hidden spring of light.

Come to us Wisdom, come unspoken Name,

Come Root, and Key, and King, and holy Flame,

O quickened little wick so tightly curled,

Be folded with us into time and place,

Unfold for us the mystery of grace

And make a womb of all this wounded world.

O heart of heaven beating in the earth,

O tiny hope within our hopelessness,

Come to be born, to bear us to our birth,

To touch a dying world with new-made hands

And make these rags of time our swaddling bands.

 

Come my Way by George Herbert (1593-1633)

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life!

Such a Way as gives us breath:

Such a Truth as ends all strife:

Such a Life as killeth Death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength!

Such a Light, as shows as feast:

Such a Feast, as mends in length:

Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart!

Such a Joy, as none can move:

Such a Love, as none can part:

Such a Heart, as joys in love.