Advent

Well, Sunday was the first day of Advent. Now, if you're one for chocolate Advent calendars you don't get to start til the 1st. But as far at the Church is concerned it started on Sunday. The dictionary reliably informs me that the word Advent means "the coming, or arrival, of something extremely important."

Of course, what is important about Advent is that the one we are waiting for is Jesus. But didn't he come about 2,011 years ago? Well, yes. But we're waiting for him again because that's how the Liturgical year works.

I'm really starting to dig the whole rhythm of the Church year. When you're going to church twice a day (which I am, at the moment, for - quite literally - my sins...) something like the altar cover changing colour (it's BLUE!) or having a shiny new Advent preface for something becomes very exciting. It's ringing the changes, because as of the 27th November we're into a completely different stage, we are waiting for something extremely important.

So what've I been up to just recently?

Well, many of you will have followed the saga of Dougal's paw on Facebook. Basically, he's been limping for a week and this morning his front left paw was twice the size of his other paws. So I bundled him into the car and to the vets we went. A trip which involved me getting quite literally covered with numerous cat bodily fluids including a copious amount of blood, and lightening my wallet to the tune of £48, but it feels like the right thing to do. And now we're going to have to bathe the poor infected little mite's paw in salty water twice a day as well as persuade him to eat some antibiotics, which I'm sure he'll just love.

Put you off your tea and biscuits did I, sorry?

I've also been writing my essay. It is a formative essay and entirely optional but I think I ought to do it because the last essay wot I ever wrote was in May 2008 which was to all intents and purposes quite a long time ago. I have entitled this one "The Quest for Beauty: A Theological Reflection on Art Tourism." It feels a bit silly and frivolous but I'm enjoying writing it.

Group E were on Hospitality last week (I can't remember whether I explained this to you in an earlier post, the college is split into five groups, A to E, with E standing for Excellent obviously, and we rotate different college duties each week.) Being on Hospitality meant I got to meet and greet some lovely visiting candidates on Saturday. One of them was betwixt BAP and BAP results so we shared BAP stories and I realised with surprise that mine seems years and years ago now, so much has happened since. And yet it was less than 7 months ago.

Hardworking Group E are on Worship this week which means we cover a number of duties in the running of the College's services. I assisted at Creative Eucharist last night, and at BCP Eucharist this morning, and I'll be reading at Thursday Morning Prayer. I feel like I'm getting more confident with the whole serving thing. Last time we were on worship I spent the whole evening before I assisted at a Eucharist worrying about it, rehearsing it over and over in my head. I didn't feel the need to do that this time. I suppose once you've done something once...

It's amazing how near the end of term we are. This week is the last week of proper lectures, next week is a Themed Study Week (TSW) on Leadership, then we're done. I'll miss Morning and Evening prayer, and being in such lovely company, but it will be good to have a few weeks off for a rest and to start on my other essays.

And, of course, to reflect on all that Advent means.