Rambling Rector

From the Rambling Rector

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The year is nearly done and the annual cycle of remembering the story of Jesus begins again as we celebrate his birth. My thought this year is ‘why is it important to do this every year?’ I have celebrated, as I am sure you have, Christmas every year since birth, whether I remember those early years or not and whether I went to church or not. Some years are happier than others, but we still celebrate Christmas on the 25th December every year. Other parts of the world celebrate Christmas on the 6th January, 7th January or 19th January. The exact date of the remembering is of less importance than the remembering itself. The importance and centrality of the baby Jesus will vary with everybody, some will focus on the religious aspect of Christmas more than others. 

Christmas will mean different things and while I would, of course like everybody to go to church and be followers of Jesus, I also acknowledge that there is a benefit in the celebrations of a family meal, of the desire and pleasure of giving and receiving presents (have a thought about which gives more pleasure). For some, just being away from the grind of work is a chance to relax and recharge.   

It is my job and passion to promote the Christian faith and I do it because I regard it as the best way to live on this earth and the best preparation for the life to come in heaven. Each one of these, individually, is reason enough to celebrate the birth of Jesus every year, and records show that it has been since the second century AD.  

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So what is the big deal of Jesus? Why is he more special than any other human being? History books tell us that Jesus was a real historical person, born while Judea was under Roman rule.  The exact date of Jesus’ birth is unknown, but the effects of his life have changed the course of history. The events around his birth were no less spectacular, miraculous and incredible. Mary was a virgin, made pregnant through the Holy Spirit of God. He was then born in a stable in Bethlehem and was visited by shepherds who followed a blinding revelation in the sheep field. Magi from the East (modern day Iran area) followed a star to Jesus feet and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold a valuable gift, frankincense a symbol of holiness and myrrh a symbol of suffering and death. A gift symbolising suffering and death was an unusual gift for a new born, and must have either confused Mary and Joseph or confirmed the revelations from the Angel Gabriel.

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If you are reading this in December, then this is what we are preparing to celebrate. If in Christmas season, then this is what we are celebrating, and if in January, that is the season of Epiphany, the coming of the Magi, and we can think about what our response will be. Following on from its success last year, we are repeating the service on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year, called the ‘After Feast’. This plans to be a time to pause after the excess of Christmas and to think about what we might do in the new year. Coming to a church service just after Christmas is not necessarily something that many do, but it can be an opportunity for a spiritual deep clean by coming for an hour of spiritual gentleness focussing on the ‘Holy Other’.

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Maybe I’ll see you at a service this Christmas tide where we can discover a little more about Jesus and meet some neighbours. There is a list in the centre pages of this magazine of all the services in these villages. 

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May the peace and love of Jesus illuminate your lives and the lives of those you touch. 

 

Rev Chris

 

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