‘The true light, which enlightens everyone,
was coming into the world…’

Advent is a time of recognising the darkness in the world. And the world does seem pretty dark sometimes: the short daylight hours at the moment, the terrible murders in Iraq (as I write the news of the probable execution of Margaret Hassan has been announced), the needless vandalism (one of the Mums on the Mansbridge estate was telling me yesterday her car has been smashed up for the third time), the continued poverty and exploitation in the world….

Advent is a time for crying to God to come and set us free. And a time for remembering how dark the world would be without the light of the Christ child. And this time of preparation is hugely important. For paradoxically it is when we are in the darkness that we can see the light most clearly.

Through the advent season our focus is always on the light that is coming as we prepare in many different ways to celebrate Christmas. And symbolically each week the light gets brighter as we light another advent wreath candle until the last is lit on Christmas Day.

The light gives us comfort and warmth in the darkness and hope. But light can also expose what we would rather hide or not know about. So while we long for God to come into the world we must also reflect on what that coming might mean for us personally. Are we living as God wants us too? Do we live in a way that reveals we are disciples of Christ? Do we speak out in the darkness the message of the light of Christ?

Will you come and see the light from the stable door?

It is shining newly bright, though it shone before.

It will be your guiding star, it will show you who you are.

Will you hide or decide to meet the light?

Brian Wren