I’m typing this from my dining room. Across the room, obscuring my view of the road is a delightfully gaudy Christmas tree. To my right, standing proud is a modest display of Christmas cards. And hidden somewhere upstairs is the present I can’t wait to give my husband Stephen on Christmas morning. That’s right, ‘tis the season to be jolly, to spend money you don’t have and to cover your house in tacky decorations.
The marketing machines are on overdrive: Apple are churning out iPods faster than I can say ‘Oooo so pretty’, toy companies are capitalizing on the latest fads and Coca Cola is declaring the holidays are coming with a giant animated Santa Claus and ice cold bottles of Coke. Everything we've come to love and love to hate about Christmas.
Last night I felt a little disconnected from the real meaning of the upcoming festival, so I retired to bed early with my Bible and an advent prayer guide.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1
As I read this verse my spirit stilled and emotions stirred, I let out a great contented sigh of the soul. ‘Tis the season to remember that the eternal author of creation’s story became a character in His own book. Jesus, stepped from the heavens to the earth, limited Himself to human life and walked amongst all He’d created.
“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
‘Tis the season to celebrate Jesus: His divine nature, His mortal life and His incredible gift to all humanity. With the Bible open in front of me it seemed like every word of the Old Testament was leading to this point and every word after exploring it's meaning.
When I was five or six years old, the significance of this was lost on me. I was a little girl with a bad haircut desperate to be Mary in the school nativity play. Sadly, as I was neither petite nor dainty and attended an all girls school, I had to give up my dream of playing Mary for a tea towel around my head and the character of Joseph. I remember knocking on the doors of our makeshift Inns, finding a stable and looking adoringly at a doll that represented the Saviour of the world. I gave the performance all I had, I knew it was an important story, even if I didn’t know why.
This year in the British Isles the traditional nativity play is being given a makeover. The Bossy King, Whoops-a-daisy Angel and Little Blue Star are taking centre stage. In fact the BBC reported that one in three schools would be opting for a ‘religion free’ play or no production at all in the interest of representing the diverse faith mixes of their communities.
I can’t say I’m surprised. It’s been a long time since Great Britain could be called truly 'Christian'. Faith in Christ has become one of many faith options. The 2001 consensus reported that 71.6% of Britains claimed Christianity as their faith. Sadly that proportion is not represented in our Churches or many of the values of the society we live in. The MORI poll of 2003 seems to support my supposition reporting that of 1001 people interviewed only 18% actually practiced their faith.
The move to take Christ out of Christmas is not surprising. Interestingly this move doesn’t seem to be coming from other faith groups. Muslim thinker Manzoor Moghal spoke to the BBC about the decline of the Nativity play:
"I can assure you Muslims do not take offence at Nativity plays," says Mr Moghal, chairman of the Leicester-based Muslim Forum. "Britain is a Christian country and the majority of people are Christians. We enjoy your festivities and we like to learn about them… This is a mistaken, misguided and misrepresentative policy: we should celebrate the freedom to celebrate our faith."
I remember listening to a news story last winter about a town that wanted to change the name ‘Christmas’ to ‘The Winter Festival’ in an attempt to be politically correct. It did not particularly bother me because they were celebrating family tradition and consumerism, not the entrance of the Son of God in Human History. One commenter on the BBC site wrote:
“The Christian heritage of Britain is not being attacked by other religions, but by the new religion - Secularism. Secularism thinks that it has a right to impose itself on everyone. It is Secularism that is the problem, not Muslims or Hindus or Sikhs - these all understand the need to enjoy mutual respect but secularists don't. It is the secularists who want to impose a dull, meaningless sameness on everything.”
For my part, I feel this change in society is an opportunity. Lights burn all the brighter in darkness. When Jesus walked this earth, He was misunderstood, scorned and rejected. Ultimately, He allowed Himself to be killed in order to offer salvation to all. Christmas ultimately leads us to Easter: birth and life on earth, to death and the ultimate victory of resurrection.
As we enter the Christmas Holidays and endeavour to remember the real cause for celebration, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to be with us. Let’s ask Him to equip us with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Let’s ask for the Father’s perspective of every family member or Christmas shopper we meet so we can truly love our neighbour. And let’s be ready to tell God’s story, the real story of Christmas, in our words and actions every day of the coming year.
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
“Lord Jesus
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, "Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen.”
Advent Prayer by Henri J.M. Nouwen
