The Nativity is recalled at Church of All Nations
Christmas far from being the season of peace, joy and goodwill, is often the season for being trite, silly and insincere. Standing in a shop, paying over hard-earned money, for a gift the recipient may not want, certainly does not need, all while Silent Night is belted out on the PA system is bizarre!
During the week I had a conversation with Omar Farah, the Somali Muslim leader on the estate. He was as puzzled as me as to what Christmas and its marking has become. He respected Christians marking the birth of Jesus. He thought, however, he had read somewhere that the date, let alone what we do at Christmas, was just made up. It really wasn’t there in scripture, he said. After all, he continued, “Wasn’t Easter more significant for Christians than Christmas?”
Somehow, amid all of these contradictions and puzzles as to what passes as Christmas celebrations, I still think we know, deep down, it is a special time. We need to give to ourselves space and time to “ponder these things in our heart” – like Mary did when she reflected on what surely would have seemed to be bizarre events in her life surrounding the birth of Jesus.
May this Christmas you find this time to simply “ponder” – and you too may treasure the reality of Emmanuel, God with us – and all that means for our lives and our world.
Rev. Dr John Evans
