“Tell out my soul!”, Mary sings triumphantly. Her song isn’t just a series of lovely quotations. It defines the meaning of Christmas. That expresses the joy of a mother over her expected son and also the purpose of his birth. Beyond the present celebrations, a new meaning to all our lives is given.
Advent acknowledges our world’s brokenness but still has hope for God’s future. There is something honest about the season of Advent. Amid the literal darkness of winter and the metaphorical darkness of the bad news that fills our media, the Christian Church still hopes. Not because of something we are, but because of who God is.
The unique message of Christianity is that God has moved into the neighbourhood in the frail and vulnerable tent of humanity; exposed to the elements, at the mercy of the environment of human nature.
The ITV drama ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ tells the true story of the Post Office Horizon computer system scandal which spans more than 20 years. But the real events and drama point to a question for any of us: ‘What do we do when systems fail?’
