Christmas but not Happy
This lovely card was sent to me some years ago,
from
one who no longer sends one. It captures for me, in its picture,
decoration
and style of text, the way I like to imagine Christmas. And yes,
fanciful
thoughts of candles log fires and snow come to mind too as a desirable
situation
in which to contemplate it.
Judging by the cards available again this year,
most
people do likewise. Afterwards friends and acquaintances will ask, as
they
always have, Did you have a good Christmas ? In my childhood my
father would always answer Just quiet,
meaning no great family knees-up, just food and wine and a peaceful
rest.
And the questioner was satisfied. Nowadays I tend to answer Not
particularly and the kind questioner looks sad or even embarrassed
for asking.
In fact my most recent Happy Christmas occurred
when
I had no resources to send cards, buy presents or receive
visitors,
just a passable Christmas dinner and the opportunity to go to chapel.
In
fact like this year Christmas day fell on Saturday, so I was able to go
on
Boxing Day too, to celebrate the Feast of Stephen. This year happily
after
a very uneventful Christmas day when I shall be slaving over the
traditional
hot oven in the morning and like most other people slumped on the
settee
watching the telly in the afternoon, I shall be able to go to the Churches
Together carol service on Boxing day.
There is of course nothing inherently unhappy about cooking a decent
turkey
or watching a decent film or drama. Only if I yearn for something
better:
a family party of young and old, someone else to do the cooking, carols
around
the piano to list a few, will I be unhappy. I do not particularly yearn
for
those so what is the problem? And why am I writing this melancholy
piece
anyway ? First I know that all over the world there are people who are
hungry,
sick, afraid and cold and many others who do not suffer those
afflictions
but are alone, lonely or both. Christmas day will be the happier if I
know
I have at least tried to remember them by charity and prayer. I can
contemplate
the Birth of Jesus both in simple thankfulness and in depth. What sort
of
risk was God taking? Did angels protect the child? or could He have
been
killed before His second birthday by Herod's men like all His
contemporaries
were or could He have simply died in childbirth in that smelly draughty
stable.
The Word was made flesh can be
understood a little by comparing it with God said
Let there be Light....etc at Creation. We can think of the
connection between said and Word
as a sort of grammatical model of God's long term plan. But what does
it
all really mean for us? We know what coming into the world meant for
Jesus:
The Cross, but what are we supposed to do?
Perhaps the feast of Stephen (Boxing Day) shows the way to the
answer:
Stephen is described as the first Deacon. Acts chapter
6 describes his appointment along with six others to take over the
work of
caring for the needy, leaving the Apostles to continue in prayer and
the
ministry of the word.
Wherefore, brethren, look ye out
among
you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom
we
may appoint over this business. (verse 3)
But Stephen did much more than this
And Stephen, full of faith and
power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (verse
8)
Inevitably perhaps there were some who stirred
up
the people against Stephen. In Acts Chapter 7
Stephen is before the High
Priest and delivers a sermon on Jewish history concluding with their
murder
of the Righteous One (Jesus). They are enraged of course
But he (Stephen), being
full of
the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: Behold, I see
the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of
God. And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and
with one accord ran violently upon him. And casting him forth without
the city. they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments
at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul. And they stoned
Stephen, invoking and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And
falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not
his sin to their charge: And when he had said this, he fell asleep in
the Lord. And Saul was consenting to his death.
(Acts Chapter 7 vs 55-59)
No I am not saying that we
should
also aspire to become Deacons nor speak in a way that inflames those
who
do not accept our Faith, even less to become Martyrs. But we do need to
seek what part in God's plan we
are called to play and then to perform that role diligently and even
sacrificially. That is not necessarily a happy thought, nor is it
likely to lead to a conventional Happy Christmas. Maybe it could lead
to a more fulfilling celebration of
the birth of Jesus though. For it is He who makes it possible for us to
be
filled with the Holy Spirit, as Stephen was.