Advent

It was in December of 1903, that after many attempts, the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground and into the air at Kitty Hawk. Thrilled over the accomplishment, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.” He totally missed the big news-for the first time in human history, man had flown!

Roy L. Smith  one time Pastor First Methodist Church, Los Angeles, California stresses that “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” Has advent all to often been  a question of seeing but not finding, hearing but note understanding?

In Luke 2:41-17 we read, “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it …

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers"

Isn’t it consoling that even Mary did not understand everything fully? We so often do not understand why painful events happen in our lives. Like Mary, we can ask: why? Where is God in this event? And again like Mary, we may not understand the answer. But Jesus goes with us, just as he went home with Mary and Joseph. And if, like Mary, we treasure what has happened in our heart, the day will come when all will be made clear to us.

O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal

and bright Sun of righteousness:

come and enlighten all who dwell in darkness and in the shadow.

Lord Jesus, come soon!

O King of the nations, you alone can fulfil their desires:

Cornerstone, you make opposing nations one:

come and save the creature you fashioned from clay.

Lord Jesus, come soon!

O Emmanuel, hope of the nations and their Saviour:

come and save us, Lord our God.

Lord Jesus, come soon!