Advent is one of my favourite seasons because we are watching and waiting for our Lord to come. And it is the season where darkness comes into the spotlight.
I love exploring what darkness is, it can mean many things to many people. For some it reminds them of a time in their life that they were struggling, with anxiety, grief, pain, loss, or hurt. John’s Gospel associates darkness negatively. But for me it is not negative, since around 90 percent of this universe is made up of darkness, there is an awful lot of it.
John of the Cross, speaks of illuminous darkness, and being in darkness that God puts us in, is how God helps us to spiritually grow, it allows us to see what we need to change or refine or what is not needed within our spiritual development.
This season reminds me of a song you may know called The Sound of Silence, written by Paul Simon and performed by Simon & Garfunkel.
Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping,
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain,
Still remains,
Within the sound of silence.
Every Advent it is like I visit an old friend that has travelled with me for many years. I wonder what do you like to revisit and study over Advent? May whatever you study and learn anew bring you blessings throughout the year ahead.
– Rev Fiona Beale, Curate