“Oh come, oh come Emmanuel!”

We are now in the season of Advent, when we wait with anticipation for the glorious events that are to unfold on the 25^thDecember. Emmanuel means God is with us. We will soon all be rejoicing as we celebrate  our Saviour coming to earth and being born in a humble stable.

 In recent years Advent Calendars have become very popular; however too often they are simply used as a countdown towards the secular festivities and the real significance of the word Advent is lost.

Advent should not be  four weeks of counting down but instead should be four weeks of building up – the readings from the prophets during this period give a sense of the anticipation of what is to come. Listen to the joy in the words of Isaiah “Oh people of Sion behold, the Lord will come to save the nations,” and Zephaniah telling Israel to “shout aloud, rejoice and exult with all your heart.”

How are we observing Advent ourselves? Advent is a time for reflection.  Are we in our personal lives ready to welcome the Christ Child?

I hope that we are all able to look forward with anticipation to a pleasurable time ahead. However let us spare a thought and a prayer for those for whom, for so many different reasons, the Christmas season is not a time of enjoyment but one of sorrow and loneliness.

Let us pray that everyone may have the Christmas that we wish for ourselves.

God Bless

We all know the rhyme which starts “Remember, Remember the 5^th November”,  however I am suggesting that we should also be remembering certain other very important days in this month.

 On the 1^st is the Feast of All Saints – remembering all those who have departed this life and who are safely in heaven but whose names are not recorded.

On the 2^nd we celebrate the Feast of All Souls when we are encouraged to take time to pray for the repose of the souls of all who have passed away that they may all take their place with the saints in heaven.

The 14^th is Remembrance Sunday – when we take the time to remember all those who fought and died in war so that we may continue to live in freedom. At St Hilda’s we shall be holding a solemn Requiem Mass.

On 21^st we remember our Patron Saint – Hilda, Abbess  of Whitby who did so much to help to establish the True Faith in Britain. 

We could perhaps wish each other a Happy New Year on 28^th as we set off into another Church Year on the 1^st Sunday of Advent. Let us hope and pray that the changes in the offing in the Diocese will, in whatever form they take, be of benefit to all in our little community.

God Bless