Gaudete

 Gaudete.  Rejoice, Joy sunday.  A pink candle on the Advent wreath. And I am grateful,  This Advent, for Jesus, born of Mary, for Mary whose willingness to be part of this at such cost enabled it all.  For the light in my own darkness.  This year, no depression, no SAD.  Beyond a little bit of seasonal grumpiness and lethargy.  For the light of Jesus, which means there is hope this dark season with threats of COVID/Omnicron/rising taxes, rising prices.  Rejoice - and roll up your sleeves and work to make the kingdom come!

Why the explosion of joy?  Quite simply I have a negative covid test despite being pinged by the app, and an eye watering, nose bleeding 24 hours of anxious waiting.  We are surrounded at work by drivers, warehouse staff, trainers, and managers and office staff.  We have strict rules - masks, sneeze screens, temperatures taken, wiping down desks, phones each evening.  But as I had a cold, and my colleague has children in school - it was a possibility.  And now I feel like those TV photos of calves being let out to fresh grass in Spring.  Except - I still have not much more than a squ eak for a voice from oral steroids.

I have listened to Gaudete - that amazing vocal classic by Steeleye Span, both the original 1970s version and a more modern version by them.  Their voices sound even better. Haunting.  For an absolute non musical philistine, this Advent I have discovered "Hills of the North Rejoice" and the song Judith hated - "Lo, he comes with clouds, descending" admittedly awful (aweful?) words but a fabulous tune which even a non singer like me can have a go at belting out at a good volume.

The 24 year old lass who plays the organ at St Marks likes to "make the windows rattle" and it is a good sound.  It's just that I feel I am in a time warp,  But having had a year of online worship, I'm just so glad to be around. Because I will always be grateful to Belmont chapel, my home, who gave me so much.  To whom I must seem so ungrateful.  But, in a congregation which barely tops 50 worshippers, it is a little easier not to drown.