Advent Reflection 18 December

Angels from the realms of glory

Pause for a moment

What is occupying your mind at the moment?

Listen to the music

Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:

        Gloria in excelsis deo

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,

Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant light:

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen his natal star:

Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In his temple shall appear.

Learn about the carol

 

This carol was written by Scottish poet James Montgomery. He eventually settled in Sheffield. He was raised in the Moravian Church, so his writings often reflect concern for humanitarian causes, such as the abolition of slavery and the exploitation of child chimney sweeps. The carol was first printed in the Sheffield Iris on Christmas Eve, 1816, though it only began to be sung in churches after its reprinting in 1825. The original refrain is ‘Come and worship Christ the newborn King’.

Time for reflection

This carol addresses a series of characters, moving outwards from key individuals in the Nativity story to include us.

In each case the person or group addressed is interrupted in the middle of something. They're all summoned to leave their existing important work to come and do something even better. The Angels are urged to change the subject of their song from creation to Christ, the shepherds to leave their fields behind, the sages to put down their contemplation, and the Saints must leave their prayers for they have been answered

Sometimes we are so busy bending before the altar ‘watching long in hope and fear’ that we don’t notice quite how many of our prayers have been joyfully answered whilst we've been on our knees.

Time for Action

Decide which of the ‘usual busy-nesses’ you will put aside to make time for joy and celebration.