In this fourth and final week of Advent, we reflect on Love. I find that, in some ways, the traditional order of Christian themes seems counterintuitive, for as the verse above highlights, everything begins with God's act of Love in sending Christ to us, that we may abide, like a branch in a vine, with God in this present moment.

God First Loved Us:
Any faith we may have comes first from this act of healing Love. Any Peace or Joy this faith provides is nothing unless God first loved us (1 John 4:19). For John, this has to be the source and beginning of our life with God. For it is from a place of trusting in God's Love for us, even where we hold this hesitantly, that we can allow our whole hearts, the complex reality of who we are, to be open to God.

God acting in love first means that I am welcomed to abide with God, not despite my brokenness, questioning, doubt, experiences, but with them, as I am. That as I am, as we are, I may participate in the very nature of God the divine. This is the mystery of Christmas.

This is beautifully expressed in my favourite Christmas worship song at the moment, 'O Come, All Ye Unfaithful'. (watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-QHbpYjuIg).

Love Shared:
As Christmas approaches, I am also reflecting on having been with you all at St Denys for six months. I am aware of the Love that is shared between you and those in your community.  I am deeply grateful to everyone for the love Jen, my children, and I have received, which bears witness to the work of God in you (1 John 4:7).

So, as we enter our final week of Christmas, let us set aside time to ponder and delight in the Love of God shown in the birth of Jesus, as we explore what it means for Christ to be born in us.

Merry Christmas,

Paul and the St Denys team.