Monday 30th November - A New Year begins

Yesterday was the beginning of a New Year - the Church Year.

It was the first Sunday in Advent, and I really felt I OUGHT to be allowed to start on my Advent Calendars.

 Instead I've had to wait another two days.

That seems reasonable in some ways; Advent is a time of waiting. For Christians, we wait to celebrate an event that happened two thousand years ago; the Birth of Christ. Also for an event that is yet to come, when Christ "will come again in glory to judge the quick and the dead".

I was always confused about the word "quick". I was never a very fast runner at school. About death, there can be no confusion at all.

I wonder if I will manage to keep up with Advent this year? There were times last year when I "had" to eat five chocolates at once from the chocolate calendar because I had fallen behind with opening all the little windows, under the pressures of School Concerts, Christmas Preparations, everything that had to get done.

This year's candle is tall and thin, so it should manage to be consumed by Christmas. Last year's candle was cone-shaped, and in the end I used to light it every time we got together. I think it lasted until February. There was something quite pleasing about the ritual.

I like candles, especially Advent candles. They have a gentle, soothing quality. Like night-lights, sitting in a saucer of water, chasing away the dark.


I'll keep you posted as to how things go.