Virtual Methodist

A candle liturgy that we will be using at our community carol service in Sandy Row this afternoon and perhaps at other services tomorrow based on Isaiah 9:2-7 VOICE 1:               The people stumbling in the dark have seen a great light; VOICE 2:               on those living in the land shadows the light has dawned. VOICE 1:               You have made the nation greater than they could imagine and increased their joy; VOICE 2:               they rejoice before you   as people rejoice at a bountiful harvest, VOICE 1:               the way that warriors rejoice when the battle is over and they have won. VOICE 2:   ...

So we've now finished our look at the so-called "O Antiphons..." with a big help from Maggi Dawn and her translation of this advent liturgy. Seemingly the Benedictine monks arranged the antiphons so that if you take the first letter of each one in reverse order - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia, they spell “ero cras” – which in Latin means “tomorrow I will come”. This comes from the time when Christmas Eve was the big celebration of Christ's coming... And indeed in many parts of the world it still is today… Within Britain and Ireland the last vestiges of this is to be found in the Midnight Communion/Mass, which still has an enormous attraction to those who would never normally cross the threshold of a church… Some well lubricated with Christmas spirit… This led one character in the wonderful BBC “Rev” Christmas special to refer to Christmas Eve Communion as “the religious equivalent of a kebab” (do check this episode out – if not the who...