I Read a Story in the Newspaper This Week, Which Was Very Interesting, Besides Being Rather

Advent 1Miracle of life2.12.84

I read a story in the Newspaper this week, which was very interesting, besides being rather ‘moving’. It started off like this: “Tipper, the Border Collie lifted his head and let out a long mournful howl. The noise was enough to ‘waken the dead’, and this is just about what it did.

The Collie’s owner lay in hospital on the brink of death. He had developed a mystery illness. His relations had been called to his bedside, because his Doctor was certain that he was going to die. In his unconscious state he mentioned the name of his Collie dog, Tipper. The dog was brought into the hospital and tied up in the room below. But his mournful howling and barking apparently aroused the unconscious man, and as the end of the story told, brought him back to life. He recovered and went home.

Nowadays, all kinds of methods are used to try to get through to people who have been injured and are lying in an unconscious state. Sometimes they succeed. This is one of the miracles of modern approach to sickness. What an awakening, to be brought back from the brink of death to life. Nowadays, badly injured people can be put on life-support machines that keep the heart and lungs working, in the hope they may eventually pull through.

What is of great interest is that quite a number of people who have almost died and been brought back to life can recount their ‘beyond death’ experiences and many of them are very similar

I recently read a Doctor’s Case Book studying some of these accounts of their experience beyond death. They all describe it as being like going down a dark tunnel and there is a light at the other end. Sometimes they speak of welcoming faces. One recorded being told that their time hadn’t come yet and that they must go back. it sounds rather like being born again. When a baby is born, it leaves the safety of the womb and travels down a dark tunnel into the light of the outside world.

The author of the 23rd Psalm expresses it in a different way. He speaks of the “valley of the shadow of death”. he speaks also of the comfort of God’s presence with him and of preparing a place for him and bringing him home.. it speaks also of the miracle of life beyond death.

The Season of Advent is all about the Coming of Christ, the Light of the world. It heralds the birth of new life. We look forward with expectancy to the great Festival of Christmas – Christ’s Birth. It should awaken in us feelings of hope, of expectancy and adoration.

In some Churches, the children make Advent wreaths, after the custom of the Lutheran Churches, with four candles depicting the four Sundays in Advent, leading up to Christmas Day. Each Sunday a new candle is lit as we draw nearer to the Birthday of Christ.

In the Gospel Reading today, Jesus reminds his disciples of the need to be prepared, of watching and waiting. He is speaking of his coming to them again. As yet, the final episodes in the Gospel, his death and resurrection have not taken place. He is preparing them for this happening.

He comes again to us each New Year in his Birth, Death and Resurrection. Advent is a time of preparation, looking forward expectantly to the Birth Day of Christ. When you come to think of it, every birth is a miracle of new life. The giving of life is a miracle. A mother carrying a baby will begin to be aware of new life within her about the fourth to fifth month of the pregnancy when she becomes aware of the baby’s movements within her. Where does it come from, this new life. It is a gift from God.

In the birth of Christ, in this miracle of life, God comes to us to dwell with us in his Son Jesus Christ. He was born into the right kind of family where he would be brought up in all those spiritual attributes with which his parents were endowed. Joseph and Mary both inheritors of the true faith, children of the remnant of Israel, those who remained true to their faith.

We can think of so many people with unique attributes born into this world, musicians, writers, artists, philosophers as well as the religious. They are all miracles of life.

The Collect for Advent Sunday which is repeated every Sunday throughout Advent until Christmas Day tells us to “put away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light.” Putting away the works of darkness speaks to us of dealing with sinfulness in our nature. Sometimes I think we need a more positive approach in dealing with sinfulness. Let us cast away all gloom, despondency and irritation because Christmas isn’t what we would like it to be or expect it to be. Sometimes we get bogged down coping with the demands made upon our time, money and efforts. Let us try to see through the commercialism, the gaudy trimmings, the over-indulgences, the true and glorious message of the birth of a Saviour. The Son of God. God in Jesus Christ came down to earth to visit us, to be with us, to guide us, Remember it is the Birthday of Jesus Christ.

Shopping is also a reminder of this. Also the decorations, the Christmas lights, and the shops stacked with gifts. When we buy gifts for our loved ones, buy them as if you were buying them for Jesus’ sake. Remember the quote, “whatever you do for these little ones in My Name, you do it for me.” All much, much more than a cup of cold water! When you prepare the Christmas Dinner, think of it as a joyful celebration because it is Our Lord’s Birthday.

Above all, it is a family time. Families whose members live and work apart for most of the year are together for Christmas. If you have no family, don’t spend Christmas alone. You belong to Christ’s family, the Church. If you know of anyone spending Christmas alone, invite them to your home..

“Put on the Armour of light”. To me this speaks of clothing ourselves in the love and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let him become a real person to you, someone whose presence you seek in every need. We only have to ask in prayer. If only we asked more often we would be surprised at some of the answers we would get! A verse of a well-known Mission hymn comes to mind:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face,

And the things of this world grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.

Yes, that is what prayer is. Looking full at his glorious face and being prepared to be seen by him as we really are, with all our blemishes, but being prepared to be used by him for his good purposes in the world.

And now we give thanks to God for Christ Jesus, because in coming to dwell among us as a man, he revealed the radiance of your glory, and brought us out of darkness into your own marvellous light.