Advent 1
The Vicar Writes:
Advent is a beautiful season because it is a time of preparation for the appearance of the Christ. Jesus is the incarnation
of the Christ, the first born over all creation through whom God creates. Jesus is the Christ who is the Soul of all souls,
the direct manifestation of God the Father beyond creation who manifests within creation on the Highest Heaven and in
the hearts of all living beings. All being stems from the Christ and no soul is ever separate from him.
Our lives are perfect when we live in the awareness that the Christ is always with us, both within us and around us. If we
live in the Lord and he in us we will always feel the comfort and reassurance of the Lord’s wisdom and love in our lives.
Advent is meant to be a time where we cultivate this divine awareness. Like Lent, Advent is a time when the servants of
the Lord are meant to take extra time for prayer, be more diligent in worship, and more conscious of the presence of the
Lord in our heart and the hearts of others.
Advent is a season of the Liturgical Calendar of the Church that provides the opportunity to walk more closely with the
Lord as we look for the celebration of the Lord’s birth among us at Christmas. By increasing our focus on the Lord through
Advent we may increase our communion with Christ and with that increase our joy. Christmas is a beautiful experience for
one who is willing to embrace the devotional life and make the Lord the centre of their life and being.
As we approach Christmas we may remember the fact that God is love and we are made in God’s image. God lives in His
own infinite love and joy and calls us to also live in that infinite blessedness. The prophets have always called souls back
to the Lord but in the incarnation of the Christ the Lord himself has come personally to call us back to him.
The Lord humbled himself to take on our humanity that we might share in his divinity. Advent is a time where we can
prepare our hearts and pray that our hearts may be places where the Lord may peacefully reside. If we allow anger,
sadness, fear and jealousy to pollute our hearts we block our minds from being able to perceive the indwelling Lord.
Peacefulness is the natural condition of the soul that allows us to feel the Lord’s constant presence and guidance. This
Advent let us pray for the peace of God that surpasses all understanding to keep our hearts and minds in the love of God
and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
We give thanks for the Church that has been lead through all the ages by the Holy Spirit and for our friendship and unity
of love with the other branches of the Church in our area. We are very grateful for the opportunity to join in worship with
our friends in the Uniting Church of Bangalow and Byron Bay. We thank the Reverend Tim Jensen for his preaching and
for his ongoing friendship and support. I pray that he and his family and all of us may have a prayerful Advent and a safe
and happy Christmas.