Advent Calendar

Reflect
Advent is a time of getting ready. The next few weeks can be busy. There may be special events in our schools, our homes, our churches and communities. Gifts to prepare. Friends and family to visit. And (hopefully) a few treats to look forward to!

But Advent is also a time of waiting. The candles on an Advent Wreath remind us of people in the Bible waiting and hoping for Jesus to be born. They had to wait calmly and trust the future to God.

Reflect
How do you think you would react to an angel appearing in your home with a message for you? Surprised? Delighted? Terrified?

When the Angel Gabriel visits Mary to tell her that she is going to be the mother of the Son of God, he tells her not to fear. His message is one of hope. Mary will be helping God bring about a wonderful plan. But Gabriel realises that Mary will need to be calm before she can take in such remarkable news.

Reflect
Mary isn't the only person to get a visit from the Angel Gabriel at the beginning of Luke's Gospel. A man called Zechariah - husband of Mary's cousin Elizabeth - gets a message from Gabriel, too. Elizabeth and Zechariah are to have a special baby, too. Their baby will grow up to be John the Baptist. (More about him tomorrow!)

When John is born, his father Zechariah is filled with hope about God's plans. Zechariah sees a new day dawning and the sun lighting up a peaceful way forward.

Reflect
We have been thinking this week about people in the Bible preparing for Jesus being born. We heard a little bit about the birth of Jesus' cousin, John. When John grew up, he devoted his life to helping people get ready for when Jesus would begin sharing the good news.

John the Baptist (as he became known) told people to prepare for God's coming. That meant changing how they behaved. God wanted them to stop treating other people badly. God also wanted them to share what they had with those in need.

Reflect
What wakes you up in the morning? An alarm? A parent or carer? Or maybe you wake them up?!

For people in Jesus’ time, the sound of a cockerel crowing meant that the day was about to start and they needed to wake up. Today’s reading reminds us that Advent is a time to get ready for Jesus who is coming to save the world. As well as being a time of waiting, Advent is a time for waking - and getting ready to welcome Jesus.

Reflect
Earlier this week, we heard about how Mary’s visit from the Angel Gabriel began. Today, we hear how the angel's visit ends.

To start with, Mary had been afraid. Even when Gabriel had explained he brought good news, Mary could not see how she would be able to give birth to God’s Son. But Gabriel explains to her that nothing would be impossible for God. Hearing this, Mary says, ‘Let it be with me according to your word.’ She does not know how everything will work out. But she trusts that God does.

Reflect
So far this Advent we have been looking at things we can do to prepare for Jesus being born. Our reading today, though, reminds us to rest as well.

Right from the start, the Bible shows us that rest is an important part of life. Rest is one of the good things God has made for us to enjoy. Making time for quiet and rest is a really important way we can prepare for a Calm and Bright Christmas.

Reflect
There are quite a few journeys in the Christmas story. But the longest journey by far is made by the wise men. A new star appearing in the sky leads them to search for a newborn king.

Their journey is long. They travel far from their own country. They have to search in unfamiliar places to find what is important to them.

At Christmas, we often look forward to familiar things. Our favourite Christmas songs. Favourite festive treats, stories or films.

But the wise men remind us that sometimes the best things are in the future, and we have to explore further to find them.

Reflect
Like Mary, Joseph receives a message from an angel. This time, the angel appears to Joseph while he is dreaming.

Dreams are often important in the Bible. The most famous dreamer in the Bible is another Joseph, the son of Jacob. That Joseph’s story is full of people having strange dreams and not knowing what the dreams might mean.

The meaning of the dream that Joseph has in our reading today, though, is clear. God wants Joseph to marry Mary and to help her care for God’s Son. And that's what he does.

Reflect
Peace is an important theme in the Christmas story. When Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is born, the angels sing of glory in heaven and peace on earth.

Today's reading talks about God's peace being greater than we can understand. It's not hard to think of places in our world where people are not at peace.

Even in our own lives, there are times where we are not at peace with everyone. We all fall out with others. Sometimes other people don't treat us well. Sometimes we can be treat others badly, too.

Reflect
With Jesus about to be born, Mary might have wanted to be resting at home near friends and family. Instead, she and Joseph had to leave Nazareth and head to Bethlehem. The journey - on a donkey or on foot - would have been long and tiring. However much they wanted it to be over quickly, they had to be patient and keep going.

Our reading today encourages us to be patient, too, as we wait for the Lord's coming. Like a farmer has to wait while their crops grow, sometimes we have to wait for good things to arrive - or for difficult times to pass.

Reflect
Life is not always calm for anyone. Sometimes we all find ourselves caught up in the middle of a storm. We can feel overwhelmed by our worries, by what is going on in our own lives or in the world around us.

At such moments it can help to remember Jesus bringing calm to the wind and the waves. And, as he does so, he also brings calm to the hearts of his frightened friends.

Reflect
Giving has long been an important part of how people celebrate Christmas. The wise men offered Jesus special gifts at the very first Christmas. And, of course, Jesus himself is the most generous gift of all. God's only Son, sent to bring the good news of God's love for the whole world.

Today's reading reminds us that God calls us to be generous, too. It encourages us to give to those who are in need - rather than to people who we expect to give something back to us.

Reflect
Like many birds, hens sit on their eggs to keep them warm before they hatch. When the fluffy chicks hatch out in Spring, they still often snuggle close to their mother for warmth and comfort.

In today's reading, God longs to bring comfort to his people. Jesus once compared himself to a hen surrounded by her chicks. He wanted to draw people close to God. He wanted them to feel comforted, and to share that comfort with others.

Reflect
We're over halfway through Advent now. As we get closer to Christmas Day, we will still be looking for ways to find 'Calm'. But we will also be trying to be 'Bright' - looking for moments in Christmas story.

Advertising can make it seem as if the way to a happy Christmas is to spend more money and have more stuff. But in our reading today, St Paul reminds us that sharing is part of how Christians are called to live. Sharing what we have - our things, our love, our time, our ideas with others - leads to life 'that really is life'.

Reflect
'Fear not,' the angel said.

Imagine it: one moment the shepherds are sitting in the dark on a cold hillside, perhaps huddled round a camp fire, surrounded by flocks of sheep. The next moment, the sky is dazzlingly bright. And they are surrounded by a whole crowd of angels.

The shepherds are startled by this strange new experience, and it's not surprising that they are afraid. The news that the angels have brought is so joyful and so amazing. Up in the hills, the shepherds were probably more used to hearing bad news - or perhaps no news at all.

Reflect
From the carols sung at church services and nativity plays in schools to the festive songs we hear in cafes and shops at this time of year, music has an important place in the Christmas season.

And today's reading reminds us that singing was part of the very first Christmas celebrations. The good news of Jesus' being born makes the angels sing for joy. Being happy can make us want to sing, too. But singing - especially with others - can also help us to feel happier.

Reflect
Christmas is sometimes described as the most wonderful time of the year. Our theme for today - 'Wonder' - encourages us to think about what it is that makes Christmas full of wonder.

The words of today's psalm are full of wonder. Wonder at the vastness and beauty of the night the sky - the moon, the planets and the stars. And wonder at God's amazing power and wisdom in making everything, including us.

God is so great and so powerful. Yet he chose to be born as a helpless baby as Mary's son, Jesus. That is what makes Christmas such a time of wonder.

Reflect
As we prepare and pray for a 'Calm and Bright' Christmas, we have been looking for moments of peace and calm amid the busyness of December. Today's theme - 'Rejoice' - encourages us to share any bright moments of joy, too.

The angel had invited the shepherds to go to Bethlehem and see for themselves the happy news of Jesus' birth. But the shepherds have to make a choice. Should they travel to Bethlehem and be part of this bright moment for God's people? Or just stay where they and carry on as normal? Of course, they choose to go and share this moment of great joy.

Reflect
Yesterday we thought about the shepherds going to Bethlehem on Christmas night in search of the baby Jesus. Today's reading describes the shepherds going home, having found Jesus just as the angel had described, lying in a manger - a box filled with hay for animals to eat.

Their journey home sounds like a noisy one. The excited shepherds sing, shout and give God praise for all they have seen on this amazing night. It's likely they woke up quite a number of people before they eventually rejoined their flocks up on the hillside!

Reflect
Imagine what it felt like to be Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem, exhausted after several days' travelling. You might be hoping for a warm welcome. Perhaps a hot meal, a cool drink and a clean, comfortable space to rest?

But Bethlehem was already full up with visitors and there wasn't much of a welcome for Mary and Joseph. In fact the only space for Mary to lay the new-born Jesus was a manger where the animals were kept. It was probably noisy, smelly and not very comfortable at all! Jesus was a King. But this certainly wasn't a palace. And he didn't exactly get a royal welcome.

Reflect
If you were asked to make a list of your favourite ways of celebrating Christmas, I wonder what would be on it? You might include things like special meals, treats, music, decorations, parties or trips. There are so many ways to make the Christmas seasons bright and cheerful.

Today's reading reminds us that we can also celebrate the birth of Jesus by being quiet and calm. Mary has seen and heard so many amazing things herself, and heard the shepherds describing the angels' visiting them, too. And she takes time to ponder - to think and reflect on God and God's amazing love.

Reflect
Christmas is just a couple of days away now, and lots of children and adults will be getting excited! Of course, choosing, making or baking gifts for others can be even more fun than receiving them. But many of us will have a special gift we're hoping for this year.

Today's reading reminds us how important it is for us to give thanks - at all times, not just at Christmas! Whatever gifts we may be hoping for, most of us can think of good things we have already been given. Of course it's exciting to think of new things we might have one day. But taking time to be grateful for what we have now can help make Christmas calmer and brighter!

Reflect
It's Christmas Eve! Advent comes to an end today and the Christmas celebrations begin today in many churches and cathedrals.

Many churches - like many people's homes - will have a crib or nativity set - with figures of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels and animals gathered around a manger.

Traditionally the three wise men we heard about in our reading today won't join the group until Epiphany on the sixth of January. But the figure of the baby Jesus is normally placed in the manger tonight or tomorrow morning. And everyone will be invited to gather round and worship him, as those wise men did centuries ago.