Advent calendar 2020
Advent 18 - Wednesday 18th December 2020
The Starry Night - Vincent Van Gogh 1889
Stargazing
It was a starry night as Mary and I stood on the balcony of the Kibbutz Guesthouse at Ramat Rachel on the outskirts of Jerusalem looking over the Shepherds Fields to the twinkling lights of Bethlehem in the distance. It was one of those times when you become aware of the spiritual and that you are part of something much bigger than yourself. There we were on a tiny blue planet, 25,800 light years from the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way, hurtling through space and 508,000 mph.
We became aware of something unusual in the sky over Bethlehem – a bright light, brighter than the stars and keeping quite still. We watched it in wonder until after a long time it faded out of sight. We have never been able to explain it. It might have been a flare in the sky. It might have been an Israeli Helicopter hovering over Bethlehem. Whatever it was, it focused our minds on Bethlehem and God’s dramatic intervention into the world that we call the Incarnation.
If the clouds clear enough for us to see the night sky tonight, we will be able to see two stars, Jupiter and Saturn gradually coming closer together over the next few nights until they are at their closest on Monday, the Winter Solstice. Although they come close every 20 years, this will be the closest these planets have been since 4 March 1226. It never ceases to amaze me how astronomers can calculate when events like this will happen. In 1603 Johannes Kepler the Astronomer Royal in Prague calculated that Jupiter and Saturn had come close together in the year 7 BC. Was this the star that the Wisemen from the East saw? Whatever it was, it focused their minds on something bigger than themselves and all their astronomical prowess. They had to act, and they set off on the journey that we remember.
Perhaps cloudy Buchan skies will hide the star, but it is still there even if we cannot see it. In the dark, gloomy days of December we look towards God’s dramatic intervention into our world at Bethlehem and the light that shines in darkness that cannot put it out.
If you miss seeing this “Great Conjunction” there will be another chance to see the sight in 2080! After that there will not be another opportunity until after 2400.
John 8:12
Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
Christina Rossetti
Prayer
Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world.
May we have eyes to see you
and ears to hear you.
Come into our world today.
Amen
Other days in the Advent Calendar