Words of Light and Hope from Helena Crockford

Words of Light and Hope   1 st December 2024 – Advent Sunday

‘WAIT!                                               Helena Crockford LLM

Today is the start of the season of Advent, and of the new church liturgical year. Each of the four Sundays in Advent has its own word. Today it is ‘Wait!’ We are remembering that first ‘Waiting’ of the world for Christ’s birth. We are part of the long ‘Waiting’ for Christ to ‘come again’. We are waiting now for the moments, again and again, when Christ, when Love, is ‘born in us today’.

But are we any good at waiting? Is being caught up in the busyness of preparations for Christmas a way to get ready in a practical sense, but might mean we miss out on becoming ready for the arrival of Love and what this relationship might want of us? The Church of England calls us this year during Advent to ‘Follow the Star – Calm and Bright’ – what could we NOT do in the next few weeks, in order to create some moments of Peace? The online advent calendar might give some ideas and can be followed here: www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/what-we-believe/advent-and-christmas/advent-calendar

The Methodist Church suggests this year we try to ‘hush the noise’ so that we might ‘hear the angels sing’:

Advent dawns with lights strung high and music everywhere,

Sights and smells abound around,

Senses assaulted and confused,

O hush the noise, let’s hear the angels sing.

Amid the lists and cards and gifts,

Amid the pleas and “please can we”,

Amid the chaos of the world,

O hush the noise, let’s hear the angels sing.

Let’s seek to see and seek to hear.

Let’s seek to feel and seek to know.

#Let’s seek to find peace and love.

O hush the noise, let’s hear the angels sing.