Advent 2013 : Day 2

There are places where the curtain between heaven and earth is stretched to breaking-point. In the sanctuary of the temple. In the heart of an old man. In this moment, Zechariah stands before the Presence. For all eternity, Gabriel stands before the Presence. So who is breaking-in on whom? The old man is startled by the angel. Who is to say that the angel is not just as startled to find the old man

mining a seam of God’s faithfulness

down through the dark layers

of Roman Occupation, Hellenistic Desecration, Babylonian Exile, a divided kingdom;

down, down, to Solomon’s first great temple, to David’s restoration of the ark within the tabernacle;

and deeper down, through Exodus from slavery and further still,

an old man and an old woman, longing for a child…

while above, wings outstretched towards the sun,

this less-glorious being reflects the Light?

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness

and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

The Collect for Morning Prayer in the Season of Advent