Advent Reflection 04 December

The Advent of our King


Pause for a moment


What are you looking forward to?

 

Listen to the music



The advent of our King
Our thoughts must now employ;
Then let us meet him on the road
With songs of holy joy.


The co-eternal Son
A maiden's offspring see;
A servant's form Christ putteth on,
To set his people free.


Our joyful praises sing
To Christ, who set us free;
Like tribute to the Father bring,

And Holy Ghost, to thee.

 

Learn about the carol

 

This is another carol by Charles Coffin for the Paris Breviary of 1736. It was translated into English by Robert Campbell, who was an advocate residing in Edinburgh. He was a Roman Catholic who died in 1868 – but not much known as an author.

During Advent, we look forward to the remembering of Jesus’ birth, but also to his second coming. This hymn calls us towards that second coming and to singing and praise as we move towards it.

 

Time for reflection

 

It’s that time of year when the favourite Christmas carols come out, Like the mince pies, they are a delight at the start of December – but by Christmas you do wonder if you can face another one. We can’t wait for the day – and in the ‘not waiting’ lose something special. Christmas Day is so pressured that it is almost an anti-climax. Another thing is that in forgetting the waiting, we miss out on the wealth of experience that waiting can bring. We are finding that in the reflection on Advent hymns that we so rarely get a chance to sing.

This hymn reminds us that the waiting has a joy all of its own.

 

Time for Action

 

Set aside time to plan something to look forward to.