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.

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.

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.