Holy Communion Anglican Church
East Greenwich, RI – Standing Firm on Biblical Truth and Christian Tradition
Beloved, let the Christmas tree stand as a reminder for us that the Nativity cradle cannot be separated from the Cross. For that humble, innocent baby lying in a manger would one day bear our sins in his body on a tree, that first Christmas tree which stood on Calvary’s hill.
Advent is our reminder that God’s plan for our lives is infinitely greater than what we face in our present moment - an opportunity for us to look ahead to the second coming of our Lord and say with the Blessed Virgin at His first, “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
The Incarnation – the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ – shall for all all-time illuminate the darkness that inevitably surrounds our world and our hearts with its light — and bring hope and joy to the faithful Christian soul.
Not only is Christ our hope, but He is also our comfort. In His flesh, Christ understands every difficulty and affliction we face in our daily lives. Christmas reminds us there is no problem we face that our God does not understand, nor does He let us face it alone.
Beloved, the darkness we see and hear all around us will not soon (if ever) dissipate, and yet there is a pure light shining into the darkness right now. At a time when the depths of depravity to which humanity can fall are so dramatically on display, the radiance of the grace filled humanity of Saint Mary the Virgin shines out even more magnificently, cutting through the darkness of sin and offering a beacon of hope.
The Lord has sustained us through a long year, and we have once again arrived at the Nativity of our Lord. Indeed, for this year in particular, in God’s perfect timing, the celebration of the Incarnation could not have come at a more appropriate time. And it is most fitting for God to use His Church to achieve this end...