|
This verse from John Betjemen’s poem ‘Christmas’ presents an evocative picture of all that we celebrate towards the end of each year. We rejoice in a holiday, an opportunity to see people and to give and receive gifts, but Christmas is so much more than all of these things and we do well to remember that.
Betjemen conjures up a wonderful image of how unnecessary all the trimmings of Christmas today become compared with the reality and miracle that ‘God became man in Palestine’. But in doing so I think he presents us with a problem. The problem relates to what we hold onto as the most important aspect of this celebration, what for each of us is ‘the reason for the season’?
Whatever we do, and whoever we are with. Wherever we are and however we mark Christmas Day let us include as a central part of the celebrations the simple yet unbelievable fact that God actually became one of us, he ‘made himself nothing…being made in human likeness’ (Philippians2:7) in order that he could demonstrate how closely and how intimately he understands us and each of the problems or difficulties we experience.
Christmas is principally the time when we are confronted by the reality of the birth of the Christ-child, - Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us’. As you enjoy all that Christmas 2006 offers you I pray that you will know something meaningful of that experience. God is really with us.
Oh come let us adore him,
Oh come let us adore him,
Oh come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Peter
|