A Message of hope for Archbishop's first online Midnight Mass 24th Dec 2020

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In his sermon Archbishop Justin will say that Jesus was born into weakness and vulnerability, in poverty and surrounded by disease, and knows our suffering.

“This baby, fully human, is also fully God,” the Archbishop will say. “We can ignore him or make space for him, and when we do that, like the shepherds, we find this baby fills our lives to past overflowing with the love of God.

“We find a presence invading our lives that is made of love. We may be in a hospital ward, we may be missing someone in a hospital ward, missing someone who seems to have gone. We may be frightened and anxious, isolated, lonely. God will fill our lives with love.

“He offers that and gives us choice, He knows what we suffer because he did too, he knows us better than we know ourselves."

Intercession prayers will be read by Phoebe Parkin, Methodist Youth President, with carols and anthems sung by St Martin’s Voices and Westbury-on-Trym Parish Church choir from Bristol.

The service is part of a series of pre-recorded ‘worship at home’ national online Church of England Advent and Christmas services with the theme of Comfort and Joy.

The service will also be available online and on the Church of England’s smartspeaker apps. It will also feature on the free Daily Hope telephone service.

A PRAYER FOR ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY CORONAVIRUS

Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy.
Sustain and support the anxious,
be with those who care for the sick,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may find comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.