6 December There’s a light upon the mountain
We are just a short way into Advent with this hymn and we are looking forward to celebrating the coming of a light into the world, an eternal light which will guide our way in the darkness.
I feel this hymn draws on the common biblical view of angels as messengers of God, and ones who do Gods bidding in delivering God’s commands of banishing evil and protecting the righteous. Then the writer turns it around and in a mystical way the words bring us closer to Christ by introducing the thought of us humans as his heavenly army and not just as his followers.
Such evocative words are used by the writer, so we feel the excitement ‘a hush of expectation’ which seems quiet and yet exciting. Then we hear how the Christ we await is ‘breaking down the barriers’ and ‘calling for his angels to build up the gates of day’, a crescendo as we hold our breath for this army of angels leading the way for him.
Then, as if to stop us in our tracks, we hear the words and realise it is us! That wonderful line ‘for the drum-beats of his army are the heart-beats of our love’ reminds us that we are his army, and we are supporting him with the love that he inspires in us to have and to share with everyone we meet in his name.
Pamela Sewart
We celebrate that you came to live amongst us as a light in our darkness,
to lead the way and shape our lives for the good of all humanity.
Help us to realise this, and to be the army of angels leading all your people
to live like you and to love one another as you so clearly love us. Amen.
