Sermon for Christmas Midnight Mass 2009

The Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy was Commissioned by the Radio Times to write a poem, for its Christmas issue. The editor of the Radio Times, Ben Preston, said that the magazine had commissioned the poet to write the piece because Christmas was a time of reflection.

In her poem, the poet laureate has taken as her starting point the song – ‘The Twelve days of Christmas’. In doing so she has reflected on the various issues of the past year, describing in the main, the worst moments of past days including the war in Afghanistan. The scandal of the MP’s expenses is highlighted in the 8th verse – ‘Eight Maids a milking’, reminding us that public funds were ‘milked’ in various ways by some of those representing us in Parliament. Nine ladies dancing is reflected upon, with those who have died tragically in these past months being highlighted in the poem, including the policeman who died in the floods in Cumbria, and the citizens of Wooten Bassett paying their respects, as the bodies of those killed in Afghanistan are returned to their families.

As part of her poem says – ‘But the drowned policeman’s lady does not dance, but the dead soldiers wife does not dance, but the lady in Wooten Bassett does not dance.’

However on a brighter note she has also included in the poem, the triumph of Joanna Lumley in supporting the long and protracted, Gurkhas’ campaign.

The Bishop of Repton, a former priest in this Diocese of Guildford, Humphrey Southern, writing in the Derby Diocesan newsletter, said ‘This is the “Happy Christmas” month. Yet to many that greeting will be hollow, coming as an insult, or even an obscenity’, as he referred to those who were suffering today in the ways recalled in Carol Ann Duffy’s poem.

The Bishop of Croydon, writing at the end of last month is concerned that the carols we sing today bear little relevance to the true story of Christmas, claiming that some traditional carols are nonsense, and misleading.

And a third Church of England Bishop, Alistair McGowan, and again one who served as a priest in this diocese, raised concerns about a secularist threat to Christmas, saying that while these people wanted to keep the ‘tinsel and frills’ they wanted to ‘throw out the baby.’ Not a very encouraging preface to our being here (this evening / this morning) to celebrate once again the birth of that baby who was himself born in squalid conditions because there was no room in the inn, born at a time when his country was occupied by the Roman Legions, and to an unmarried, albeit betrothed mother, and who in the years to come would become a refugee as the family fled into Egypt to escape Herod’s merciless slaughter of the innocents.!

In September it was reported by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment that people were finding difficulty in accommodating the traditional Christmas Tree because new homes were increasingly becoming cramped with owners complaining that they did not have enough space.

So B&Q, with an eye on a marketing opportunity have provided a space-saving half tree which neatly fits against the wall having a flat back to it!

I was however glad to read that Tate Modern’s Christmas, Tree this year was very traditional, with a simple, tree decorated with bees-wax candles. Tacita Dean, the creator of the tree who now lives in Berlin said that she had been influenced by the simplicity of Christmas in Germany. She said ‘the Germans had managed to hold on to something of purity and magic despite commercial pressures.’

While this might not be the right moment to reflect ourselves on the past 12 months, it might well pay us to do so before we cross the threshold into the year two thousand and ten, or will that be 20 10? To reflect upon what this ‘simple and pure’ act concerning the child born to be the ‘Saviour of the World’ will have on your life and your family’s in the year to come. Or is it like the half-Christmas tree, a question of finding room to accommodate him in our over busy lives? Recently on the Today Programme on Radio 4 the former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force, Sir Ian Blair was interviewed, and he was asked about the events surrounding the London Bombings, which took place soon after he had taken over as Commissioner. In the course of the interview, Ian Blair spoke of his attending his Church, St. Margaret’s, in London, on the Sunday following the bombings, and how much his church-going meant to him. On that particular Sunday he said, as the clergy procession passed the place where he was standing, the Vicar as he passed by, simply laid his hand on Ian Blair’s shoulder, in that moment and by that action recognising the awful responsibility placed on the Chief Police Officer of the Metropolis at that time. A significant moment of encouragement and recognition by his Parish Priest who in a simple gesture let the police chief know he was not alone.

(Tonight / This morning) could also be a significant moment for someone here this evening, on this most ‘Holy Night’ as we meet to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Peace. For the hand of God is far reaching. A disparate body of people we might be gathered here in St. Andrew’s at this late hour, (morning) although I do not see myself as a ‘faith person’ as being an oddity, foreigner (although I was born in the country we focus on here tonight) or even part of a minority, as the Archbishop of Canterbury is reported as saying concerning Government initiatives relating to faith. For we are all unique individuals, made as we believe in God’s image, and if we will allow it, we too can be modelled into the likeness of Jesus Christ himself. For as we sing in the carol

‘O little town of Bethlehem’, our prayer is that the Christ Child will descend to each one of us, that he will cast out our sin so that he too can enter in to each one of us, and that he will be born in each one of us, afresh’ this most Holy (Night / Day), and abide with us always.

One of the most well known pictures painted of Jesus Christ is by the Pre-Raphaelite painter, Holman Hunt.

It is of Jesus as the ‘Light of the World’ – who is portrayed standing on the outside of a closed door holding a lantern. It is reflective of a verse from the Book of Revelation - ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me’ - (3.20). For the door in the picture has no door handle, it can only be opened by the one on the other side. Jesus does not force himself on to anyone – but he can and will challenge us in the course of our lives. (Over these past 18 months, here in St. Andrew’s, we have introduced a new evening service called ‘alive@six’. More details are on the church’s website, but it is an initiative by us, to provide perhaps a more accessible way back into church, if you like another ‘doorway’ into church, for those who might feel it is appropriate for them.)

So as we perhaps reflect upon the world in which we live today, there will be those known to us, both here in our own community and elsewhere who will this Christmas Day mark, what will be for many of us a happy and joyous occasion, without the presence of a loved one who has died in these past months as alluded to by the Bishop of Repton. Many others who live in our Nation, and who are recalled in Carol Ann Duffy’s poem, have been affected by the recession, with the loss of employment, affected by the floods of Cumbria and elsewhere. We pray that God’s blessing and peace will be with all those who will find Christmas celebrations either non-existent or muted this year, for whatever reason. But the birth of the Prince of Peace on that first Christmas Day brought with it a message of hope. A message that God has not given up on humankind and it is that message which is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago, if we will allow it.

For it is in celebrating with joy the one who in the beginning was the ‘word who became flesh’, who lived amongst us and continues to live in the hearts of many today, that with confidence we will continue to pray in his words -

‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.’

AMEN