A Pastoral Letter from your Priest.

Dear friends,

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Today we near the end of our Advent journey. Christmas is near as we approach Bethlehem to worship the Christ child lying in the manger, to reflect once again on the miracle of the incarnation, God coming among his people and living with us, our constant companion on our journey through life. For this last stage of our Advent journey we join Mary who is to bear the Son of God into the world. Mary received a visit from the Archangel Gabriel who tells her that she is to bear a very special son. Mary immediately accepts the call and places herself in God’s care and service. She begins her own journey which will take her to Bethlehem and ultimately to the foot of the Cross. Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth who is herself expecting a child, John the Baptist.

As Mary approaches Elizabeth greets her with the words “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Her own child John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb recognising that even in the womb he is in the presence of the Messiah, the Son of God. There is great excitement, in just a short while the Messiah, long promised by God, and foretold by the prophets throughout the Old Testament will come and live among his people. He will bring the good news of the love of God to all his people. He will bring the lost back into the fold of God’s family. He will bring peace and hope to those who are in despair, the deep sense of peace and hope which only God can give in the midst of a dark, fearful world. On the birth of this boy, the son of Mary, the whole world places its faith and trust for a better future. We have received the good news of the love of God for us, we have responded by promising at our baptisms to walk with Jesus as he walks with us.

Today we walk with Mary as she visits Elizabeth and this week we will walk with her and Joseph as they journey to Bethlehem. The calling of Mary to bear the Son of God into the world is a calling that we all share. Her journey is one we are called to walk with her in our own daily lives. For as Mary bore her son to the world in her womb and in his birth at Bethlehem so we are called to bear her son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to the world every day in our hearts. We have promised our lives to God just as Mary did. With her we say to God, “let it be done to me according to your word,” This Christmas and every day let us open our hearts to God, let him make his home within us that with open, loving and generous hearts we may bear his Son bringing the light of his love all in need in the darkest places of the earth. 

Please take care and keep safe.
Your friend and Parish Priest, Fr Gary.

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