Advent Calendar – Day 14

Welcome to Advent…Day 14
These short meditations can be done alone, with a partner, or with the whole family.
My suggestion is evening time; light a candle, play the music suggested below,

Have a little treat, it’s an Advent Calendar, after all!
(Maybe hide some chocolate around the house each day, or hang it from the ceiling?)
And read the material aloud together…
There’s quite a lot here. You dont need to do it all; either follow the story and the blessings, or simply enjoy the poems.
Make it a special moment, ten minutes of togetherness in this busy season.


A Multitude of Angels… by Katharine Kingdon, (FatBelly Pots) via City Arts, Newbury

Music Suggestion

from Spotify

Sheperds and Angels
That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David’s hometown a Saviour was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”

Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, 
and peace to people on earth!”

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.

(shush… The first to hear this good news were the humble and ignored.)


A PoemThe Shepherd Who Stayed Theodosia Garrison
Excerpt

There are in Paradise
Souls neither great nor wise,
Yet souls who wear no less
The crown of faithfulness.


My master bade me watch the flock by night;
My duty was to stay.
I do not know
What thing my comrades saw in that great light, I did not heed the words that bade them go,
I know not were they maddened or afraid; I only know I stayed….

You can find the whole poem here


Reflection and Blessing for you and your loved ones
Shepherds were often poor, looked down up, considered dirty and treated as outsiders. So fascinating that it was these people who were the first to hear the angel’s good news!
If you tried, you could probably think of people who are considered outsiders, (maybe you would include yourself?).
What would be good news for such people?

Holy God, help us to value the upside down kingdom, where the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
May the LOVE that bought the shepherds such joy, shine in the world today and always. Amen


The Food Bank

West Berks Foodbank Reverse Advent Calendar
Day 14 – christmas biscuits