Change did come

This blog entry is slightly different, in that I am going to direct you to the website of a charity that is very dear to me heart and for whom I have guest blogged an article.
Change did come!

Christmas messages

Christmas Reflection – Christmas messages

Luke 2:1-20

2In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³All went to their own towns to be registered. ⁴Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. ⁵He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

⁸In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: ¹¹to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” ¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Dear Santa Claus,

For Christmas this year, I would like it if you could stop all the wars and keep the children in Syria, Iraq and other countries at war safe. I would also like a pink, purple or YUU bag. I am going to make and leave you a present this year. A Texter Puppy or cat would be nice. I don’t want anything else.

From Hannah

Out of the mouths of children is a phrase often used. The letter to Santa was written by a young lady whose parents have both served in the military, in areas of the world that are a hop skip and jump away from the Biblical lands that we heard in the passage today. She is a little younger than the betrothed Mary yet her understanding of events around  the world are beyond her years, whilst her childhood is apparent in the letter to Santa and the present requests.

I was deeply moved when I first read Hannah’s letter for a variety of reasons.

First of all you cannot help notice Syria appears in both her letter and the gospel reading set for Christmas day. So often we can feel the bible is obsolete almost a history, history book; yet here it is flashing up to us today some 2000 years on, a place of conflict, turmoil, insurrection and the chaos of war. There 2000 years ago people were on the move, commanded to register, which involved hazardous journeys and for one now famous couple trying to find shelter so that their baby could be born and nursed. Today people in Syria are on the move, fleeing from war and unimaginable cruelty, they too are registering and trying to find somewhere safe for their children and babies.

At this time of year in the Christian tradition we are (have, if you are reading this on the 25^th December) observing (observed)  Advent, that period of waiting, waiting for the arrival of Christ. For many people we have simply been waiting to open the Lego or chocolate advent calendar whilst waiting for the big guy to drop down the chimney with a sack of presents. 2000 years ago Mary and Joseph were waiting, waiting for a small baby who would change their lives for ever. We know how the story unfolds for that baby and how his mother will be told  ‘and a sword will pierce your own soul too’ . Mary will spend the next 30 years waiting for this to happen. Waiting at the gates of the refugee’s camps across the middle east and Europe today are families for whom a sword will pierce their own souls too.  Yet despite this they continue to journey on, waiting in the hope that they will find safety and a place for their children to grow.

Some will make it, others will not, the journey is perilous and 2000 years ago similarly children fell victim to the evil of those in power when Herod ordered the hunting down of all baby boys in a bid to stop the survival of the Messiah, whose presence was announced by wise men from afar. Joseph and Mary, again journey on, taking the child to safety in a land far from home, as refugees.

I made mention of the young mother Mary and of Hannah our letter writer earlier on. Mary we know is carrying a gift to the world, she and Joseph are both aware that what they are doing is outside of the ‘norm’, they risk being cast out, and Mary could even have been put to death if Joseph had chosen to. Yet they continue to nurture and protect the small bundle entrusted to them, a swaddling wrapped present to the world. Hannah’s gift to the world is wrapped in grace, it is tied together with love and has a big sticky bow of hope on the outside of it, with a gift label that reads ‘for the world’. Her generous nature bought this gift, her altruism shares it with the world via Santa Claus. Its not often we get to see letters such as this; it outside of the norm and actually Hannah risks losing out on a huge pile of presents by not issuing a missive of a list.

But what we gain from both these young women is immense and immeasurable. Mary’s story is still heard and known 2000 years on and from Hannah we receive the good news that grace, compassion and care for the other is still intrinsic in the next generation. This hope in a world such as ours today is as invaluable to us as the proclamation “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people”.

So today, we thank God for Mary and Joseph, some 2000 years ago but we are also thankful for the Hannah’s of today, who remind us of the goodness and good news in the world.

Amen.

PS Mr Claus, if you’re reading this, I think a Yuu bag wouldn’t go amiss for this one.