Saturday 12th December 2020: Advent Reflection: Willie Reid

 

At Radio Christmas, where I read the news every weekday morning at 07.00 and 08.00 by ‘Zoom’, I started one of the recent news bulletin with ‘Hope came back in Britain yesterday when a 90 year old grandmother, Margaret Keenan, from Coventry became the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 jab. Matt Hancock, the UK health secretary, said it had been ‘V-day’ and paid tribute to the scientific endeavour, human ingenuity and hard work that got us to where we are today. That was great news not just for the UK but, with several other vaccines in the pipeline, this should be the start of hope for the whole world. 

And if we look around there is more hope than we think.

We bring ‘hope’ into our conversations every day: in an email to a friend ‘hope you are well’; to the kids going out the door ‘hope you have a good day at school/play well at tennis; or to our partners as the they go off to work, ‘hope you have a good journey/ your tricky meeting goes well with the boss!

Seeing Our children and grandchildren give us hope.

Radio Christmas, in a small way, is also giving hope this year to past sponsors. By understanding the difficult plight many have found themselves in this year and to thank them for their previous support, Radio Christmas has offered them free advertising. For a charity trying to raise funds for itself that is a very Christian approach.

No matter the circumstances, in Guatemala and Honduras, Duncan and his formidable team at Street Kids Direct continually coax and cajole youngsters to leave the streets. And as they never ever give up on anyone, no matter their circumstances, for kids there hope springs eternal.

Factor in also Bill and Melinda Gates who through their foundation work tirelessly in the developing world to improve health, expand education, tackle hunger and to relieve extreme poverty giving hope to all they come into contact with.

Now that we are in Advent the Christmas story also gives us hope. In Bethlehem, a little baby boy Jesus is born to lowly parents in a lonely stable before the whole family had to become refugees in another country. Back home he grew up and changed the world through his mission and miracles and his empathy and love for others. Believe in Him and there is a real hope for better times in the future and for eternal life.