Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
and folks dressed up like Eskimos’
When we hear the familiar words of the classic Christmas song first recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946 we seem to know for certain that the year has gone full circle and it’s that time of year again. Here it comes again the season when we have to push amongst the crowds in the shops to try and buy our turkey and sprouts, the time that we hear familiar sounds of carols and Christmas songs all around us.
But I do wonder if sometimes at this time of year we can be so surrounded by all the noise of the commercial side of Christmas that we can all lose sight of the real reason for the season. It can even sometimes feel the world has gone slightly mad and lost it way as we begin to force down even more festive food and eat yet another sweet from the quality street tin.
We may even find ourselves asking “Can this really be all that it is about?”, but there are other voices to be heard as the same message is spoken out once again in Churches and Cathedral’s across the land and the world. This message can redirect us towards the deeper meaning of Christmas. And can I encourage you this year to take some time to stop for a moment and pause, listen and to consider the wonder in the claims of the Christmas story. And if all just seems too familiar why not try and allow the message to reconnect, and if you have never tried before why not consider it for the first time.
A few years ago the BBC produced a version of the Nativity story and I was particularly touched by the final scene. Picture the scene in the drama as we are drawn into a small and dark room and in the darkness at the far end of the room we can see Mary & Joseph and the infant Jesus surrendered by animals. The infant lays peacefully in the manager asleep as a group of travellers from many miles away begin to approach. The group briefly glance to his Mother for permission to come near to see the child. And as thy bow before the infant we witness a moment of recognition as we look into the eyes of these intelligent men as we see tears stream down there cheeks and they fall to their knees before a tiny child. And at the moment they bow a voice simply and slowly says ‘blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”. And Mary & Joseph simply look puzzled as they look upon the gifts of Gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gifts that seem to point to the future of this child and the shadow of the Cross is glimpsed.
The wise men in this scene are given a glimpse of of the real message of Christmas and it is truly wondrous. That God out of a heart of love enters into human experience, he becomes as vulnerable as new born baby and grows to maturity experiencing all of human emotions. I wonder if part of the real wonder of the Christmas message is that God knows and feels all that we experience and longs to walk beside us in our humanity. God loves us so much in order to be in relationship with us and to fully connect he came and lived, died and rose again in our midst.
So listen out for:
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face.
With the dawn of redeeming grace.
Jesus, Lord of thy birth
And as you listen and look may you this Christmas find :
The joy of the angels
The eagerness of the shepherds,
The perseverance of the wise men,
The faith of Mary & Joseph
And the peace of the Christ-child.
Anna
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