Today is Tuesday the 21 December in the fourth week of Advent.

Josh Garrels sings ‘May You Find A Light’. Can you hear these words sung to you as we prepare to celebrate and welcome Christ, the light of the world, into our lives afresh this Christmas.

Today’s reading is from Song of Songs.

  Song of Songs 2:8-14

The voice of my beloved!
   Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains,
   bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle
   or a young stag.
Look, there he stands
   behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
   looking through the lattice.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
‘Arise, my love, my fair one,
   and come away;
for now the winter is past,
   the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
   the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtle-dove
   is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
   and the vines are in blossom;
   they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
   and come away.
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
   in the covert of the cliff,
let me see your face,
   let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
   and your face is lovely.

Today is the 21st of December, the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, here in the UK.  Yet in the Church’s liturgy we hear this reading, and the beloved speaking to the one he loves, “for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.”  What does being in the middle of winter speak of to you? . . .What images come to mind?

We pass through many winters, literally and figuratively.  Does some wintry weather dampen and darken your spirit?. . .  Do not be afraid!  It is a season that comes to us.  Can you let the winter be and even give thanks for it? . . .

In the song of songs, the male character is often understood allegorically to be God.  We are the beloved whom he loves.  Hear what the beloved says to you: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come.”  . . .
Hard as it may be to always believe it, you are the beloved of God.  
Listen again to this song and hear these words as addressed to you.  

On the shortest day of the year, at least here in the UK, ask God to give you eyes to see the signs of hope hidden in the cold, dark earth . . .

O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
Key of David
Rising Sun
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come, Lord Jesus