Yup, glutton for punishment, as well as reading Isaiah for the Church Book Club, and joining in with #Pause for Advent, I'm also in another Advent Book Club which is going through Rachel Mann's 'In the Bleak Midwinter', reflections on poems by Christina Rossetti.
Today's poem is called 'Advent Sunday' and you can find it all over the internet if you search.
I haven't read this before, and managed not to read any other comments first
What struck me as I was reading it was the rapidity with which memories and references and allusions appeared, pushing through the words.
Not just the headlong rush through biblical stories and accounts, but also flashes of
places and people over the years, like walking through photograph album, delving through archives and treasure boxes and boxes and trunks stored up in the loft.
The first and last verse are subtly different.
At the beginning we were called to come out and meet the Bridegroom with lighted lamps and garlands. At the end, we are part of the throng, we have joined the procession, with lamps ablaze! and the garlands. We have heard His voice, recognised Him, run to join Him.
This poem has suddenly reminded me of my grandmother, one of the early generation of female GPs, and dead these 42 years, who did so much to make Christianity, and Christ, real to me through her own real faith.
Now I shall see what Rachel Mann has to say!
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