Writing up the Advent Story

 

A few years ago while on holiday in Perranporth in Cornwall, I saw in the Anglican church this cross made from spent shell casings brought back by an RAF officer who had served in Afghanistan. I had the pleasure of speaking to this officer, who told me his team had made it so he could put it on display and that it serves as a symbol of what we can achieve when we choose to pursue the paths of peace rather than war. (Isaiah Chapter 2 verse 4).

As a newly confirmed Local Preacher in the Methodist Connexion, I have reflected quite a bit recently while preparing worship services about the apparent paradox present in the story of our faith particularly at this time of year. Christianity is founded on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and if we look at the Bible all four gospels carry an account of the crucifixion, but only Luke’s goes into any great detail surrounding the nativity story.

Last weekend marked the first Sunday of advent the beginning of a new church year. However, let us reflect before we leave the old church year. Two monarchs, three Prime Ministers, several cabinet reshuffles and all against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, rising energy costs and general economic and environmental upheaval. Who on earth would want to welcome a child – any child – but especially a child who is the son of God into the world we inhabit today?

 But welcome him we do, because God sent him to us to bring the peace and justice of his kingdom into the world and since human beings have never measured up to God’s high standards, are in constant need of reminding how we still allow history to repeat itself. To walk in the paths of the Lord involves a conscious choice to either follow the true path, accepting the restrictions that go with it, or to follow competing paths which eventually lead to our destruction both individually and as a society. By sending his son to us God is reminding us of this need to choose carefully the path we take.

 If we believe in the Jesus who was both human and divine surely we must recognise advent as more than just the beginning of the church new year? If Easter can be regarded as a time of reconciliation and renewal we should be able to regard the nativity and advent in the same way. Whatever our individual views are, we know that Jesus came to earth by being born in Mary, we also know that spiritually he lives on in our lives when we choose to follow his teachings and we know he will come again.

 As Christian writers we generate this message in our work irrespective of genre and we should have the courage to continue to do so whatever the prevailing culture.

 

 Michael Cronogue originally from London now resides in Walsall in West Midlands region of UK. Writer and blogger discussing matters of faith and theology on his website www.michaelcronogue.com 

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Queen’s Foundation Birmingham (Newman University). He is also a Methodist Local Preacher and serves as a volunteer Chaplain with the West Midlands Police Service.