The thirteenth day of Advent - holding the Christ light

​I’ve discovered this Advent the writing and accompanying images of the Rev John Swales of the Lighthouse Project in West Yorkshire. His website is here. 

https://www.cruciformjustice.com/

He has some powerful paintings of priests or vicars or ministers in different contexts. The image above reminds me of our call to hold the Christ light for people in the darkness every day. The image below is of a priest who sits on a bench on Blackpool prom and has lunch and waits for people to come to chat to. 

There’s a powerful phrase in our ordination service “let no one suffer hurt at your neglect.” It’s always unsettled me. We make mistakes and our load is heavy. But all of us want to make a difference to people by reminding them of light and being where they are. 

So fellow clergy today’s thought is for you. Keep lighting candles, sit on benches, have conversations, remind people of the light that shines in the darkness always. And when you balls it up and you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it too long. Admit you’ve made a mistake and move on. We are as entitled to a new start as much as anyone.

And congregations reading this less than two weeks to Christmas if you insist on saying to your priest or vicar or minister “I expect you are busy” like we aren’t busy at any other time of the year, be kind to us. The seasonal delirium might have started and we might be carolled out already but know we are still here for you… in the middle of mayhem. You might be caller number six in the queue which might be delayed by “have you sorted the carol service?”and “can I have your hymns for Christmas Day?” But we will get to you. 

Maybe we need a slower December. We are too busy to do Advent properly or attend to everyone because it’s Christmas and that’s wrong. Maybe to get things sorted we need to light a candle in a church and be for a while and maybe we need to intentionally be where people might be after we’ve recharged our batteries. There’s nothing wrong these weeks with a bit of sleep in the day! Or is that just me?