My Thoughts on 27/11/2020

The news this morning is about which Tier we are in and how are we going to cope. Many people are reorganising what they will do for Christmas and who will meet with whom.

Let’s this morning move ourselves back to the present and try to think of one thing we can do daily during the weeks of Advent (26 day before Christmas Day and the season of Christmas. Here are some suggestions. Get a copy of “Day by Day’, available in the Church narthex which gives the readings of every day. Use Scripture as the source of prayer in these coming days. If you look at our diocesan website for Catechesis and Evangelisation there are some good suggestions of what would be helpful during this coming season.

The Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD) have also produced material for Advent.

Also we can set up in our own home a simple Advent wreath that could be the centre piece of our table. We light a candle and say a prayer at the beginning of each meal. I usually suggest three purple candles and one pink to denote the liturgical colours of the Sundays of Advent and a white candle in the centre representing Christ the Light of the World. Also there is a tradition that suggests that Advent 1 candle represents the Patriarchs, Advent 2 candle represents the Prophets, advent 3 represents John the Baptist and Advent 4 represents Mary, the Mother of God.

The anxiety and worry of these time needs to offset by fixing our gaze on Christ, who has come as Saviour and who will come again and who desires to have a central place in our hearts now.

Canon Father Anthony Charlton
Canon Father Anthony CharltonParish Priest