I understand that the present to have this year is a small self propelled hamster. Despite fears that it contains a chemical linked to cancer the GoGo Hamster is still selling well and will no doubt arrive in many a child’s sack to their delight. And to their parents agitation several hours later! Of course all of this is true only for those who secure one. One of the realities with which we live is that some will be disappointed. Despite the best of efforts parents will turn up to shops and find that the much hoped for present is out of stock. We can perhaps guess at the despondency which might follow. And what is true in this case can be true more generally in the sense that disappointments and arguments very often increase dramatically over this ‘season of joy and goodwill’
Strangely there is quite a gap between the Bible accounts and the carols and pictures on which they are meant to be based. What the Scriptures actually describe is an event fraught with busyness, crowding and angst. Somehow into the midst of this rush and shoving, God appeared. And the Bible wants us to get this bit straight: the angels don’t come along for a sort of heavenly ‘jolly’ so that our carols might have a bit of pomp and colour. They’ve come to make sure that we have all understood God really has come to his world, taken on human life, showing us that fragile love is indestructible. And whatever else characterises our own celebrations, if the rush overwhelms our ability to grasp these things, we’ve missed the whole point.
Making connections like this has never been more important. As I write politicians and scientists are meeting in Copenhagen to discuss a hugely significant issue – climate change. Media coverage has been extensive and yet news article which appeared at the same time, described a commercial venture to develop space tourism which would have a huge financial and environmental cost. There is something desperately wrong with humanity when we fail to see the incongruity here. What human beings need is a radically new perspective – for the individual and for the world. And I believe that Jesus Christ and only Jesus Christ makes this kind of change possible.
In the busyness of the small yet important things and also in the larger life decisions I pray that Christ will be your greatest joy and inspiration. I wish you all a very merry Christmas.
Rev Andy John, Bishop of Bangor
