Apologies for this being late – the weekend’s surprises ironically impacted on the time available to complete it!
’The time came for her to deliver her child.’ Luke, of Mary, in his Gospel, chapter 2:1-16.
‘I must say that searching through my photos is bringing back some lovely memories.’ Sue, one of the daily contributors to the Advent-ure.
The onIine Advent Calendar seen in full on our website and daily on FaceBook will end this week as the countdown to Christmas Day finishes. Each day, images have been seen from many different locations and various countries and it’s been fascinating to see the interpretations of the changing words on the journey of Advent-ure each day. Weary varied from the Knife Angel, made in Oswestry of blades actually used to wound people, to a tired sheep sleeping at the door; creation featured images such as a rose, an embroidered cushion and a gingerbread house; hope focussed from snowdrops to a bride and groom; good news had images ranging from the resurrection and the Holy Spirit through to a car park payment machine being out of order! The photos were varied, thought-provoking and sometimes humorous, showing images in the UK, from countries in Eastern Europe, Colorado and Washington in America. Our thanks to all who have contributed as well as to those who have commented on the images and memories shown and to Karen, who has arranged and posted them.
Advent calendars originated as Adventskalendar with German Lutherans in the 19th century as a prayerful reminder to count the days in preparation for Christmas. Nowadays, their popularity has changed, but often for commercial reasons with each window containing chocolate or cheese, cosmetics, alcohol, perfume and a host of items, some costing a small fortune. Most are a long way from the original religious picture and Bible verse depicted to aid prayer and spiritual preparation on the day they were opened. Perhaps it’s a statement of the perplexing times we’re living through that people need an instant, daily treat and that Advent, the time of waiting, has often been eclipsed with Christmas decorations being put up in some cases before Advent itself has begun – more than a month before the Day.
However, Advent calendars are a reminder of the importance of each day, echoed by my elderly aunt who wrote in her Christmas card, ‘I’m conscious of the clock ticking.’ Every day holds its hopes, its challenges and perhaps its perils – and that doesn’t end just because the joy of Christmas dawns. The clock is ticking for all of us but the story of the first Christmas may encourage as well as enlighten us. When the time was right, at full term after her pregnancy, Mary gave birth to Jesus with the support of Joseph, who was at first minded to ‘put her away privily’. In other words, he had concerns about her mental health – understandably, when he was told that the Holy Spirit had made her pregnant. Joseph and Mary both had to wait trustfully and live with the shame and gossip of her condition until the reality of her words was shown. In the fullness of time, the truth became clear – but was then followed by two years having to be spent in Egypt as refugees. Who would have thought it? God’s purposes are not always clear and often involve surprise, waiting for realisation to dawn and practical human response. So it is for us today and, at this time of the Solstice, the shortest day when daylight begins grow longer, we also await what may be unfolding in our lives. Thanks be to God for the gift of time as well as choices about using it and may the growing length of days reveal more fully what Jesus the Light of the World comes to show us.
With my prayers; pob bendith,
Christine.