On this last Sunday before Advent, the message rings out: ‘A virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son, and they shall call him EMMANUEL, a name which means “God is with us.” The collect – which we use every time we recite the Angelus – encapsulates the whole Christian mystery: the Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of the Son of God. The Messiah promised to the descendants of David is now announced as coming to all nations. We stand at the threshold of that incomparable moment when we celebrate the coming of the Word of God into our world, as the tiny Child of Mary who is our Redeemer and the glorious King of all ages and all peoples.

And for what do we pray? After receiving the Lord in Holy Communion – He who is to come, and yet He who is already always with us – the Post- Communion prayer asks that we may grow in faith and love. Faith to believe ever more deeply in Who He is; but also to believe that God’s providence is always very much at work in our lives. Both the good things, but also the seemingly bad things, are part of His plan; and we need to be deeply convinced that ‘all things work together for good, for those who love God.’ He can write straight with crooked lines, as the saying goes. Even our little daily frustrations, accepted with love, can be united with His Cross and so become small but powerful contributions to the up-building of His Kingdom. We know from the Gospel that He can do wonders with a few loaves and fish, and that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which grows into a huge tree. It is only love which can enable us to make use of these little daily opportunities – as well as the much larger crosses that some are called to bear. And as we look out across our world, let us entrust all its confusion and chaos to the loving and all-powerful Heart of the One who is our King but also our dearest Friend. And let us joyfully renew our self-offering and unite it with His own, as He ‘lowers the Heavens and comes down.’