"Advent tells us ... "

"Christ is Near"

Tomorrow evening Advent begins in earnest. It has always been a time of great enjoyment even though we are ensuring our attention by keeping to days of fasting and abstinence. The preparation is done, in the Anglican Tradition, in a subdued way. Indeed it is done by adding the realisation that we need to make changes in our life if we are to celebrate Christmas and The Incarnation properly. We make sure that we give plenty of time for thinking of the implications of Jesus's coming. This has to mean a degree of disengagement from the festivities of everyone who is busy celebrating as an excuse for excess and over-indulgence. It doesn not mean going around with a long face or being rude about these other festivities. Enjoy them politely. I would suggest with "severe moderation"!

This means setting aside for looking in turn at various unpopular things: Heaven (and Hell!), Judgement, The Second Coming of Jesus. As extras, on the Sundays we remember with thanksgiving the work and witness of the biblical authors especially those in the New Testament, of St. John the Baptist, and on the Sundays immediately before and after Christmas that of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy family. It is a huge array of areas to explore. No wonder we fast a little as well.

How to fast? The details are explained in the newly issued revision of the Medjugorje monograph, now available from Clickbank. The Prayer Book suggests the minimum required.

Go to http://www.medjugorje.org/ to avail yourself of this monograph in full, and of the opportunity to profit by passing it on to others.

More later this weekend!

Yours ay,

Ted Baty