Feature for Christmastide

by James Rosenthal in Canterbury

Among earth's multitude of lights
A new star shines.
It lights the journey of the wise
Who travel with deep searching eyes
From eastern shrines

"Our God is a God that surprises us," said Archbishop Rowan Williams, as he addressed over 2500 in a shopping centre in Canterbury on Christmas Eve, escorted through the streets by the choir and clergy of St Stephen's Parish, the Bishop in Canterbury, Stephen Venner, and the Dean of the Cathedral, Robert Willis, along with the Lord Mayor and Chief Constable. It was the second large crowd of the day as at 3pm the cathedral was packed for Lessons and Carols. The Archbishop spoke to the shopping centre crowd of the differing outlooks in life of "shepherds" and "wise men". Looking up or looking down. The Salvation Army band led the music, two young Mormon missionaries were seen in the front line. I wondered if this was the religious extent of Christmas for the majority of the assembled. I sense it was.

Archbishop Rowan addressing the shopping centre community as crowds sing carols in Canterbury city centre
Photo: Rosenthal/ACNS

This is the first Christmas for Archbishop Rowan in Canterbury. His wife, Jane, and the family have been part of so many activities during Advent. Their diary has included: the St Nicholas celebration, of which Jane Williams was patron; Cathedral Friends Party; Civic functions; Carol Services; and even the Pantomime on Boxing Day. At the St Nicholas event the Archbishop and his wife walked down the High Street with school bands and the whole parade.

Jane Williams was patron of the 2OO3 St Nicholas Festival
Photo: David Manners

During the cathedral carol service a new anthem premiered with a text by the Dean and music by the assistant organist, Matthew Martin. Its haunting sounds and powerful text made a much needed from children "all is white shall wait around" of the Once in Royal David's City fame.

Among earth's languages and words
A new child sleeps.
Amid the ceaseless noise of life,
Of strident power and angry strife,
He silence keeps.

Yet it all comes and goes so fast. Even here in Canterbury some of the shops had already removed their "Christmas windows" last weekend and the sale signs were in place at closing on Christmas Eve day as we say as we returned from the Community Carol sing to Old Palace. Yet within an hour the cathedral choir of boys and some adults would serenade the Archbishop's family and guests in the forecourt of the palace. Thanks be, it was still Christmas. This would prove to be a perfect prelude to the Archbishop's Christmas sermon.

On Christmas morning he said, "The uniqueness of our Christian faith is that it is inscribed for us not only in a text but in a living human presence in which dwells all the fullness of God. We may confidently say to a nervous secular world, "Fear not!" God is not coming to abolish but to fulfil the hopes of liberty and human dignity. But we ourselves as believers need to hear the same words we speak to others: 'Fear not!' We don't have to fight for our claims in such a way that all the world sees is another power-obsessed and anxious human institution; we have only to let the Word be born in us and speak in us. A lifetime's work, but also a moment's gift, in the sudden grasp of the mystery of this celebration of God made human, in the words we hear from the gospel, in the bread and wine of the Eucharist: 'from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.'

Our Anglican cyberspace world was full of Christmas messages being shared around the globe this week. The Anglican Communion staff are in a privileged position to receive many, many such sermons and I searched for others.
Photo: Rosenthal/ACNS

FROM IRELAND

Archbishop Robin Eames, Primate of All Ireland said to his Christmas congregation, "Today Christians celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. As with that first Christmas a world of tension, division and suspicion will move on its way with varying degrees of recognition of that great event. The reality is that for large parts of this world it will be a non-event either because Christianity is not a part of its life or because famine, homelessness and war dominates too many lives."

"At this Christmas Eucharist, you are invited to receive the Body of Christ given for you and the Blood of Christ shed for you", said Archbishop of Dublin John Neil in his sermon. He stated, "In this way you accept that the Baby of Bethlehem was given to us by a loving God to make a difference for each and every one of us. The challenge of Christmas is to share that Good News far and wide in the most practical ways - because in Christmas God speaks to us in more than words - He comes as the "Word made flesh".

FROM THE HOLY LAND

From the Midnight Mass at St George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, attended by only international worshippers as locals found it impossible to get to church, the Very Revd Yazeed Said, acting dean, said, "The more you live in this land the more you can see how such biblical dramas appear in the context of this land's struggle. We have come to see that in the midst of darkness, of loss, and destruction, God appears. He does not appear in our tidy preparations, or our tidy order of life, or of the Church; he appears in those who are left out from our systems, political or religious, he appears in the place where no one ever imagined he will be."

FROM THE USA

Bishop Leo Frade of Southeast Florida, in his Christmas sermon said, "But if you come to the manger to care for the real Jesus, you must be willing, along with the beauty and happiness it brings, to accept all the work and sacrifice and difficulty it could bring. You don't throw him away or put him back when he cries or needs a diaper change. You cannot be neutral with Jesus-either you care for him or you neglect him."

The bishop said, "I can only care for Jesus in the life of those around me in this world that we share, those who are suffering and in pain, discriminated against, neglected and rejected. How can I pretend to say I care for Jesus if I am unable to care for the little ones He loved? As a grownup, Jesus explained it to us in a little more explicit way in the 25th chapter of Matthew when he said, "Anything you did to one of the least of my brothers of mine, you did it to me, because when I was thirsty, you gave me drink, when I was hungry, you gave me food. I was a stranger and you made me welcome, naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me." And I dare to add, when discriminated against because of my colour or sexual orientation, or religious preference, or low social conditions, you did not reject me."

Another Episcopal Bishop, the Rt Revd Keith Ackerman, in Quincy, said in his sermon, "When God took on flesh and was born in a manger in a stable, no one noticed how battered the building was. All they saw was Jesus. The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph did not apologise for the shabbiness of the place. All eyes were on the One who was in the manger. As Jesus Christ is born in our hearts (tonight)(today), no matter how broken we are, no matter how battered we are by pain, burdens, and disease, this same Jesus wants to take up residence in us. The world wants to see Jesus. And in some small or large way, someone you know needs to see Jesus shining through you. For the one who wishes to reside in you is also the only one who can save your life."

SYDNEY SPEAKS

The Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Revd Peter Jensen said in his Christmas message, "Of course we can all sympathise with people who approach Christmas with a degree of cynicism. The 'Disney-fication' of this holy event may have left you wondering whether there is anything more to this season than an ever-increasing credit card bill. But if we peer beneath the wrappings we can still see God's real gift: a saviour."

CYBERSPACE

BACK TO ENGLAND

Archbishop of York David Hope spoke at Christmas on the impact of inner-Anglican church tensions on the wider world. He said: "Many quite outside and beyond the Church have looked on in disbelief wondering quite what all the fuss is about and asking whether in so focusing on this one issue (human sexuality) almost to the exclusion of all others we have not lost sight of more pressing and vital priorities for our world and its peoples."

He added: "A more fundamental question emerges too about our ability to live together with and in difference and the extent to how far that is possible, given such passionately-felt views on this."

On Advent 4, speaking in Canterbury Cathedral, the Revd Kevin Goss, outgoing Precentor, spoke of the humanity of Christ. He said, "He was an emotional man with and, dare I mention it, a man with a sexuality. Forget Jesus gentle and mild - here was someone who drove money changers out of the temples with whips; and who thundered against the religious hypocrites. He wept at the grave of his friend, laughed and joked with his mates and earned a reputation as a drunkard and party-goer. And if he was fully human then he must have had a sexuality. Does that shock us? Or do we wonder? We have no evidence to suggest that Jesus was other than celibate; but were there not times when he must have yearned for intimacy with another? If we as Christians have problems with this, then might I suggest that perhaps are not ready to cope with the incarnation, and its implications: God made man, fully man, in every way."

SRI LANKA

The Anglican Bishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, spoke of Christmas with a reference to his own often troubled national situation. The bishop stated, "….I call upon all Christians to examine the quality of our relationships and to relentlessly pursue trust and good will within the Churches and with people of other faiths. The way we engage in mission and witness in particular must come under the Judgement of Christ our model in reconciliation. We know only too well how we have competed against and hurt each other, lacked sensitivity by our neighbours of other faiths, and dishonoured Christ. To co-operate with Christ as agents of reconciliation requires us to be generous in our judgements, forgiving in our disputes, self critical in our arrogance and endowed with consistent loving kindness as agents of the gospel of reconciliation. This is Christmas. "

With the world's Christmas in full swing, Dean Robert Willis, again in his new text for the cathedral carol service, seems to sum up the hope of the Christian:

Among earth's landscapes of despair
A new hope springs,
Which to the weary human form,
New made, as at Creation's dawn,
God's image brings.

Anthem: Among earth's multitude of lights
© Robert Willis 2003

May the New Year bring peace and Epiphany bring joy for all and everyone. Alleluia Amen.

ENDS