THE P RTAL
December 2016 Page 19
An Advent Reflection
The Ordinary Birth of our Extraordinary Saviour
by Donato Tallo
With Advent now upon us , the busy and hectic run up to the Christmas season truly begins and as the first candles on the Advent wreaths are lit in churches around the world the new liturgical church year commences . Advent is in many ways is a very strange time because amid the stress and business that many of us find ourselves caught up in at this season , Advent is very much a time for stillness , reflection and calmness in preparation to celebrate our Saviour ’ s birth .
One of the problems we all face in our modern lives is over-complication of situations , relationships and actions . We often find ourselves going over the top with things or putting on a show , thinking that making more of something means that it is somehow better . However , it is very important for us all to remember one word this season and that word is ‘ ordinary ’. Now if we describe something as ordinary , in essence we are saying it is not particularly special or that it is something that is commonplace or standard with no distinctive features . From a secular point of view however , the general consensus is that Christmas should be anything but ordinary , going over the top and spending lots of money is often sadly commonplace .
In reflecting on the word ordinary in preparation for Christmas it is important for us all to remember that our Lord and Saviour was born in Bethlehem , an ordinary town in Israel , in an ordinary outbuilding , a stable no less amongst ordinary hay and ordinary animals . Christ came into the world amongst Mary and Joseph and other ordinary people , on an ordinary night after an ordinary day . But we know that while Christ was born in an ordinary way his birth was the incarnation of God himself , the very God who became a man and chose to do so in an ordinary manner . So when faced
Advent with with complicated or stressful situations perhaps all of us should remember there is nothing wrong with the ordinary or straightforward .
Christ humbled himself to be born alongside ordinary human beings and ordinary animals in the ordinary human manner in which he did , in order to be human like the rest of us ; but of course , unlike us Christ is perfect without spot or stain .
Bethlehem , a town in Israel south of Jerusalem , is considered to be one of the oldest cities in the world . The word Bethlehem comes from a Hebrew word meaning “ house of bread ”, which shows us clearly the significance of Jesus being born in Bethlehem as Jesus is and was the bread of life ( John 6:35 ). The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is believed to be located over the site that marks the birthplace of Jesus and attracts many pilgrims who each and every day of the year choose to visit this ordinary town that our extraordinary saviour was born in .
“ For unto us a child is born , unto us a son is given : and the government shall be upon his shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonderful , Counsellor , the mighty God , the everlasting Father , the Prince of Peace ” ( Isaiah 9:6 ).
Each Sunday in Advent on The
Portal website - www . portalmag . co . uk - you can hear a different Ordinariate family sing a new verse of the Advent Carol , “ Long ago , Prophets ” by Fred Pratt Green ( 1903-2000 ). Advent 1 : Emily , Celia , Daniel
Advent 2 : Pascal , Gisele , Florian , Derek and Sofia Siemens and Joseph Ottaway