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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with The Right Reverend John Arnold, Bishop of Salford

Good morning.

Christians talk about the Season of Advent, those four weeks or so which lead up to Christmas, as being a time of waiting in hope. How do we understand 鈥淗ope鈥�? It can be something rather vague and wishful, even superficial? 鈥淚 hope we are not running late for some event or we hope the sun will shine today鈥�. Or it can express something very important and be Hope which is based on conviction. The hope expressed at Christmas is a firm belief that, no matter what difficulties we might be facing, there are solutions. Despite the challenges, there are possibilities and opportunities.

This is perhaps all the more important for us this year, as we celebrate Christmas in the midst of a pandemic. And indeed, already - all through the pandemic, there have been signs of Hope. 鈥� The commitment and courage of health workers. The dedication of those providing our essential services. The initiatives in local communities to provide for the isolated and the housebound. And increasingly, hope of the vaccines to be available to all. All the directives and restrictions on our freedom, which will have caused varying degrees of inconvenience and disruption and anxiety, have all been imposed with the intention that we might all have Hope in better times to come.

For Christians, the Hope we express and renew at Christmas is that God, having sent His Son into the world, is guiding us step by step along the way. Lord, may we strengthen our Hope and never lose sight of the possibilities and opportunities that you provide as you guide us in our lives.

Amen