Comfort and Joy

Today's carol is “In the bleak midwinter”Today's beautiful poem-carol lays out three different reactions to the arrival of God. The earth is hard, unresponsive, cold and bleak; the heavens are ablaze with angels singing “Holy, Holy, Hallelujahs”; but the mother of God holds the baby and kisses him.You don't need to be high and holy to worship God, says Christina Rossetti. Be like Mary. Open your heart and love him.

Today's carol is “O little town of Bethlehem”The words in today's reading are those spoken to John the Baptist when he was still in his mother's womb proclaiming him the forerunner of Jesus.As we read them at the dawn of a new year, let's ponder how Christ himself is a new dawn for the world.

Today's carol is “Hark the herald angels sing”In our reading today Mary's soul erupts into poetry as she looks to God her Saviour in preparation for the birth of Jesus.As we sit on the cusp of a new year, we meet God who turns our world's values upside down to reveal his light and love to all.

Today's carol is “O holy night!”God's glory is seen in a beautiful sunset or landscape. God's glory is known in the transcendence of worship or the stillness of prayer.God's glory is revealed quietly and wonderfully in the birth of Jesus and the life of Jesus. God's glory seen, fully, in a human being.

Today's carol is “O come, all ye faithful”“Come and behold him.” Come and see. Take time to look, and reflect on all that Jesus is and offers. That's the invitation in today's carol.In the reading from John's Gospel there's a promise. As we see, we trust. And as we trust, we receive. The gift God gives is love, now and eternally.

Today's carol is “It came upon the midnight clear”2020 has been a long and tough journey, and there are still many uncertainties as we go into next year.Our reading for today comes from the opening of John's Gospel. It reminds us that as we look back, we see God at the beginning of all things, and as we look forward we see a light that can never be put out.

Today's carol is “Silent night”Sometimes there's a Christmas moment of calm: before guests arrive, or perhaps after they've left!When the angels departed, the shepherds had their moment of calm, to pause and think, before going to Bethlehem to see the baby. In the busyness of Christmas, it's good to stop and reflect, and maybe notice something you've not seen before.

Today's carol is “Joy to the world”Shepherds, on a dark hillside outside the sleeping town, were the first to hear the joyful news of the birth of Jesus.A message of peace and joy for all, celebrated by a vast choir of angels and by carols in pubs and churches, homes and streets around the world.

Today's carol is “God rest you merry”Christmas is good news. After a tough year, Christmas brings comfort and joy to you and to a world that is weary and hurting.The message of the baby born in Bethlehem is that God is in the mix. God does not stand far off, watching from a distance. God comes to us, walks with us and stays with us.

Today's generosity story comes from Nick in Nottingham. Nick reminds us that generosity and kindness often comes from those we might overlook.

There does come a moment, when after all our Christmas preparations, we can do no more and have simply to stop. For many that moment comes at the end of the day on Christmas Eve.

Today's generosity story comes from Naomi in Bristol. Naomi remembers a time in her childhood when her family showed hospitality to stranger, who in return brought joy into the hearts of a struggling poor family.

There is something glorious about Christmas. The music and wonder of Carol Services and Midnight Mass offer moments that lift our hearts and touch our lives.

Today's generosity story comes from Kerry, a Community Pastor at St Paul's Church in Salisbury. Kerry offers an inspirational story of a community coming together to support those in need during the national lockdown.

It's the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and it might just feel like everything is about ready for Christmas, but in fact the story is just beginning and one of the central characters moves to centre stage: Mary, mother of Jesus.

Today's generosity story comes from the Reverend Christopher Johnson in Leicester. In his story he tells us about an act of remarkable generosity that happens at his church every Christmas.

Introduced to the Church of England over 50 years ago by The Children's Society, Christingle services are beloved traditions in many churches and schools across the country.After the year we have all lived through, the light and hope symbolised in the Christingle is needed more than ever.

Today's generosity story comes from Liz in Truro. Liz tells us how she experienced generosity through prayer when undergoing treatment for a brain tumour.

As Advent unfolds, John the Baptist emerges to confront us with a challenge and to point us to next steps on the journey. The question he asks us today, is the same as he asked in his lifetime; how are you preparing to celebrate the coming of Jesus? Today's reflection is written and read by Simon Thomas, author, podcaster, and ex-Blue Peter & Sky Sports presenter.

In today's generosity story we are reminded of the importance of a thank you and how those words can bring so much joy to those who receive them.

Advent is about preparing for the second coming of Jesus, in glory on the last day, in the light of his first coming, as a baby in Bethlehem.When Israel returned from exile in Babylon, it found the comfort of discovering its sins were no longer held against it, and the joy of knowing it was going home. Advent is about the slow realisation that for all the prisons others and ourselves put us in, God has the key. The name of that key is Jesus.Today's reflection is written and read by Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Comfort and Joy invites us to hear again the message of the angels – good news of God's unfailing love for a world that is weary and hurting.Taking inspiration from a traditional carol service, Comfort and Joy features weekly reflections throughout Advent, and daily reflections from Christmas day to the second of January, from Kate Bottley, Jonathan Bryan, Bob Chilcot, Martha Collison, Stephen Cottrell, Guli Francis-Dehqani, Chine McDonald, Sally Phillips and Justin Welby.Beginning on Advent Sunday, each episode explores a Bible reading and a familiar carol, encouraging us to look with fresh eyes at how the timeless truth of Christmas might shape our lives in these extraordinary times.