DAY 17

Unlatching the door

An image captured me this week at a Carol Service I was watching online, the speaker said that since the early 1100’s at the location where they were broadcasting there had been an unbroken chain of witness and testimony. I imagined people praying and worshipping there through the seismic events of history - the births and deaths of monarchs, the plague, the great fire of London, the world wars.

Here’s a poem by Malcolm Guite about John the Baptist, whom we remember during Advent (it’s not Midsummer night but I think it’s still apt for Advent) And it reminded me of this unbroken chain of witness, from John to us. It’s amazing to think about. Isn’t it also a testimony to John, that he was able to see with the eyes of faith that Jesus whom he would have known as a boy, was God’s own son.

Let us not underestimate the power of each of our testimonies and may we find new strength and joy to celebrate this as we gather together each week to worship, and share in each other’s lives of faith.


Midsummer night, and bonfires on the hill

Burn for the man who makes way for the Light:

‘He must increase and I diminish still,

Until his sun illuminates my night.’

So John the Baptist pioneers our path,

Unfolds the essence of the life of prayer,

Unlatches the last doorway into faith,

And makes one inner space an everywhere.

Least of the new and greatest of the old,

Orpheus on the threshold with his lyre,

He sets himself aside, and cries “Behold

The One who stands amongst you comes with fire!”

So keep his fires burning through this night,

Beacons and gateways for the child of light.

 
The Carol service was being broadcast from the Royal Foundation of St Katharine in East London.