Into the heart of Advent — Chapter 7 — The Prophetic Life

The season of Advent carries entwined themes. The Church through the centuries has focused at this time of year on the coming again of Jesus in power and glory as king and judge; the Last Judgement and the fulfilment of his kingdom.

The season is also influenced by the turning circle of the year — first and fire, candles and stars, the winter cold when the seeds are sleeping.

And then, of course, it's the time when we prepare for the great winter feast, Yul (Old Norse for "the Turn") when the infant light is born into the depths of darkness, upon which time the first missionaries to the British Isles settled the feast of the Incarnation, the coming of Jesus our light into a cold and dark world.

Into the Heart of Advent explores the different facets of these themes. Today's reading on the prophetic life concludes the first cycle in which we have been staying with the traditional ecclesiastical focus on the reign of Christ in our lives and his role as lord and judge. 

Tomorrow we move on to the seasonal wintry themes of candlelight and singing and fire and frost. Then a few days later we'll move on again, to look at the different aspects of the Christmas story — Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi (and King Herod), the stable and the manger — the story of God in our world as a vulnerable child.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).