Fr Mark’s Advent Message in the December Magazine :
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
One of the local papers has announced Christmas is cancelled. – I say to you, it is most certainly not.
Having said that I realise that for many there will be a sense of sadness and frustration. Some may even feel guilt that while they can have a fairly normal Christmas (whatever that is) others can not.
The title of this year’s Church of England digital campaign is ‘Comfort and Joy’. A strange theme for these times you might think. I suggest not. God, in the person of Jesus Christ came to earth over 2000 years ago to bring ‘comfort and joy’ to a very troubled messed up world – and God comes to us in Christmas 2020 to bring ‘comfort and joy’ also. In coming to earth as a vulnerable baby, God took on our vulnerability. Maybe the vulnerability we are feeling amidst this Pandemic?
We as his follows are called to ask ourselves how we can be instruments of that ‘comfort and joy’ to those most in need, those isolated and lonely, those most anxious.
The Joy Christmas brings is the hope of being united for ever with Jesus in heaven.
Who ever it is we feel separated from this Christmas, know that one day we can all be united with our loved ones with him who loves us.
This Christmas the Church will need, in the words of St Paul in his letter to the Romans 12.15, to ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep’.
I pray we come up to that challenge.
Blessings
Mark
