Thank you for joining us for the last of our Advent Saturdays, looking at faith, hope and love.  

This week we reflect on love in light of the mystery of the Incarnation, to ask what love looks like at Christmas. 

There is no charge for this day or to follow the retreat online, but a donation is appreciated via the link below which will support our work and mission. 

Deepen our faith, Lord God,

    as we celebrate the great mystery of the incarnation

    by which you revealed to the world the splendour of your glory

    through the Virgin Mary

    when she gave birth to your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

    (one) God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

From the Divine Office for 19th December

My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love. 

God's love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son so that we could have life through him; This is the love I mean: Not our love for God, but God's love for us when he sent his Son to be sacrifice that takes our sins away. 

My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will complete in us. 

1 John 4

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely, Love Divine,

Love was born at Christmas,

Star and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,

Love Incarnate, Love Divine,

Worship we our Jesus,

But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,

Love be yours and love be mine,

Love to God and all men,

Love for plea and gift and sign.

Christina Rossetti, 1904

Christina Rossetti’s poem  ‘Love came down at 

Christmas' is her 'other famous Christmas carol', the other being  ‘In the bleak midwinter’ 

When I was thinking of ‘love’ at Christmas, these words came straight to mind. 

Some know it as a carol, but because it failed to attract a catchy tune it remains rarely sung. 

It cuts out all the sundry details and gets to the heart of what the Incarnation is all about. 

On first reading I think we get the sense of what she thinks this child’s birth is all about!  Love is mentioned 12 times in 3 short verses. And she brings the point home.

Erik Routley has said that “seldom has so much theological insight been packed into sixty-three words.” Although she gets the point across that “Love is his meaning,” she leads us more deeply into its mystery. 

She does what St John does. Apart from the star and the angel she does not crowd the scene, penetrates the mystery to give us a whole theology of the Incarnation.

“God is love,” says St John. The most succinct depiction of God we have. But he makes a connection between the love that we receive and the love we give. 

Because of this love of God, with this love of God, we are to love one another. And as we love one another God will live in us, and come to fruition in us. Rossetti makes that connection too. 

The first part of the poem is straightforward to understand. Love was born at Christmas… and we worship and adore. 

But then she asks, by what sign, how do we worship Christ. Love of course! We respond to love with love. The love to God, the Love to others.

God’s love, which we live out, becomes our plea; the gift we are given and give to others; and the sign that God is present now as in Bethlehem.

Christina Rossetti strips Christmas down to its essential meaning. 

What does Christmas mean to you? In the community video monks reflect on the different things Christmas means to them.

Has Christmas meant different things over the years?

This Christmas may be pared back and somewhat impoverished in human terms. It may be a bittersweet time for many.

But what  memories remain of Christmases past? Good memories can nourish us to live the present moment with hope and love in our hearts.

“O Wisdom, You came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and reaching from beginning to end, You ordered all thingsmightily and sweetly. Come and teach us the way of prudence.”

“O Adonai and Ruler of the house of Israel, You appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and on Mount Sinai gave him Your Law: Come, and with an outstretched arm redeem us!”

O Root of Jesse, You stand for an ensign of mankind; before You kings shall keep silence, and to You all nations shall have recourse. Come and save us and do not delay.”

“O Key of David and Scepter of the house of Israel: You open and none may close, You close and none may open. Come and deliver from the chains of prison those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

“O Dayspring, Radiance of the Light eternal, and Sun ofJustice; come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.”

“O King of the nations and Desired of all, You are the cornerstone that binds two into one: Come, and save humankind whom You formed out of clay.”

“O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Expected of Nations and their Saviour: come, and save us, O Lord our God!”

Lord, open our hearts to your grace.

Through the angel’s message to Mary

    we have learned to believe in the incarnation of Christ your Son:

lead us by his passion and cross

    to the glory of his resurrection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

    who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

    (one) God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Prayer for First Vespers of the 4th Sunday of Advent

Thank you for joining us for these Advent days, either live via Zoom or on this webpage.

The Belmont Community wish you all a very blessed Christmas. Stay safe, and let's pray for a better new year for everyone.