My dear friends
We currently have a slight lessening of restrictions on our movements, but we need to exercise care. For example, I heard Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on the radio saying that she had not seen her parents since July and was not intending to be in physical contact with them over Christmas. Her priority is, rightly, care of the whole community, rather than passing personal pleasure. I am saddened that I shall probably not see my grandchildren in the flesh over Christmas, but I would rather not see them than cause any potential danger of passing on the virus. I am looking forward to seeing you on the Sunday after Christmas.
Let me continue one of my Advent themes, namely the Second Coming and ask whether it has already happened, so we missed it. As an illustration I turn to those famous theologians, Morecambe and Wise. At the beginning of the show our duo appeared with people in the background waving banners saying “He is coming.” You wondered who “He” is and what would happen when he came. This continued throughout most of the show until just before the end the posters read “He has gone.” We are sometimes so concerned with the trivialities of life that we overlook the important things, the thing that really matter. The eve of the second Sunday in Advent is the feast of Saint Nicholas from which, via Dutch, we get Santa Claus.
With my love, Fr David