Luke 2: 10-12
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Reflection
The third Sunday in Advent is all about joy!
Yet here we are in COVID times and joy can sometimes seem very far away! Celebrations with family and friends cancelled, no photos with Santa, no hugs and kisses as we wish people “Happy Holidays” instead we are greeted everyday with the horrors of more and more people dying alone, escalating numbers of people getting sick, more restrictions in efforts to try to curb this pandemic. It’s a bit bleak and sad and here I am trying to find the words to talk about joy.
To the people who want their Christmas in the good old fashioned way and want to flout anything or anyone who stands in their way I want to shout “You can have Christmas anytime” You can have Christmas in July – lots of places do!” You can do the whole thing: Christmas tree, turkey, carols blazing, Christmas sweaters, opening presents” The Christmas season isn’t defined by a calendar – well it is – but you know what I mean.
At the same time I know what they mean, this Christmas is strange as I drive around and see the houses getting ready, lights twinkling against the darkness, Christmas music shared in Gillies Bay on Sundays (thanks Dave and Maureen Northrop) Santa will be riding on fire trucks, so it seems like Christmas is coming. Thank you everyone! We can be happy, right?
So on the one hand we have all kinds of restrictions (bubbles to maintain, essential travel only, etc.) and on the other well it looks like we are on track, we are picking out presents and planning Christmas dinner.
Happiness, sadness, grief, joy: it’s beginning to sound like the Christmas story to me!
A young girl is pregnant and sings a song in celebration, (good), she and her husband have to travel a long way from Nazareth to Bethlehem just before the baby is born (not so good when you are about to give birth), they get to Bethlehem and can’t find a place to stay (really not so good when you are about to give birth), they find a place in a stable – it’s warm with all the animals- (really good) the baby is born (great joy) some shepherds come to visit along with a few angels (nice) some rich foreign kings come by with presents (really nice), they also bring news that Herod is out to get them especially the baby (not nice at all) they flee to Egypt then return home to Nazareth (Matthew) or they go home to Nazareth (Luke) (either way it was probably nice to be home - joy).
We all come to Christmas with our own story.
Sometimes it’s a good story, sometimes it’s a little sad and some people come to Christmas with grief in their hearts or memories that are too hard to look at. But we all come with our story.
The thing is; what we come to wonder at is the birth of a child. The hard labour results in baby full of potential, held by parents who are already in love with their precious gift.
We, who, celebrate the birth of this baby this Christmas may come to his birthplace with many different emotions but I pray that when Christmas Eve is upon us and we read the real Christmas story that what you know is deep joy.
A joy that transcends the emotions that we feel everyday. A joy that sustains us through difficult times and overflows in times of happiness. A joy that is focused on the birth of a child who grew to be the man we know as Jesus the Christ.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Reflection
The third Sunday in Advent is all about joy!
Yet here we are in COVID times and joy can sometimes seem very far away! Celebrations with family and friends cancelled, no photos with Santa, no hugs and kisses as we wish people “Happy Holidays” instead we are greeted everyday with the horrors of more and more people dying alone, escalating numbers of people getting sick, more restrictions in efforts to try to curb this pandemic. It’s a bit bleak and sad and here I am trying to find the words to talk about joy.
To the people who want their Christmas in the good old fashioned way and want to flout anything or anyone who stands in their way I want to shout “You can have Christmas anytime” You can have Christmas in July – lots of places do!” You can do the whole thing: Christmas tree, turkey, carols blazing, Christmas sweaters, opening presents” The Christmas season isn’t defined by a calendar – well it is – but you know what I mean.
At the same time I know what they mean, this Christmas is strange as I drive around and see the houses getting ready, lights twinkling against the darkness, Christmas music shared in Gillies Bay on Sundays (thanks Dave and Maureen Northrop) Santa will be riding on fire trucks, so it seems like Christmas is coming. Thank you everyone! We can be happy, right?
So on the one hand we have all kinds of restrictions (bubbles to maintain, essential travel only, etc.) and on the other well it looks like we are on track, we are picking out presents and planning Christmas dinner.
Happiness, sadness, grief, joy: it’s beginning to sound like the Christmas story to me!
A young girl is pregnant and sings a song in celebration, (good), she and her husband have to travel a long way from Nazareth to Bethlehem just before the baby is born (not so good when you are about to give birth), they get to Bethlehem and can’t find a place to stay (really not so good when you are about to give birth), they find a place in a stable – it’s warm with all the animals- (really good) the baby is born (great joy) some shepherds come to visit along with a few angels (nice) some rich foreign kings come by with presents (really nice), they also bring news that Herod is out to get them especially the baby (not nice at all) they flee to Egypt then return home to Nazareth (Matthew) or they go home to Nazareth (Luke) (either way it was probably nice to be home - joy).
We all come to Christmas with our own story.
Sometimes it’s a good story, sometimes it’s a little sad and some people come to Christmas with grief in their hearts or memories that are too hard to look at. But we all come with our story.
The thing is; what we come to wonder at is the birth of a child. The hard labour results in baby full of potential, held by parents who are already in love with their precious gift.
We, who, celebrate the birth of this baby this Christmas may come to his birthplace with many different emotions but I pray that when Christmas Eve is upon us and we read the real Christmas story that what you know is deep joy.
A joy that transcends the emotions that we feel everyday. A joy that sustains us through difficult times and overflows in times of happiness. A joy that is focused on the birth of a child who grew to be the man we know as Jesus the Christ.
