O come, o come, Emmanuel; and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear

Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel!

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny.
From depths of Hell thy people save and give them victory o’er the grave

O come, thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight

Rejoice, rejoice; Emmanuel shall come to thee, o Israel!

This hymn is about 1200 years old and originally contained seven ‘antiphons’ or verses, one to be sung daily from 17th to 23rd of December. They contain a secret code – if you take the first letter of the second (Latin) word in each, it forms the acrostic ‘Ero Cras’ – ‘I shall be present tomorrow’

Take a while in contemplation to listen to the instrumental version below.

I was waiting for my dinner in a hotel restaurant on my way back from the UK last week. I couldn’t help hearing the conversation on the next table although I couldn’t actually seethe debaters without turning round. It was early evening, the office Christmas parties hadn’t yet arrived, so it was relatively quiet despite the inevitable background of a mixture of carols and the ringdingdingaling of the other inescapable seasonal songs. The subject of discussion (well it wasn’t really a discussion, being pretty much one-sided, with a single person doing all the talking) was ‘Christmas’.

‘Of course’, the pleased-with-itselfvoice proclaimed in a somewhat patronising tone ‘Christmas is really a Pagan festival’. I consider it to be a sign of my increasing maturity that I restrained myself from getting involved.

Good job I didn’t – because the person was wrong in one sense, but on reflection (sort of) right in another (not that he realised or intended it). The point he was trying to make was that our ‘Christmas’ celebrations are simply the Pagan winter solstice festival of ‘Yule’. This involved animal sacrifice and twelve days of revels and toasts to theNordic gods, with holly wreaths and mistletoe used as protection from evil spirits and to ensure fertility. These rituals were appropriated and eventually ‘Christianised’ by missionaries in the fifteenth century or so – as were many other Pagan and Celtic traditions and beliefs. Sincere pagans still celebrate Yule today – many thousands attendStonehenge or other ancient sites to watch the dawn break on December 21st. But Mr. Smug was misinformed – Christmas is Christmas, not Yule. The two are altogether different.

But then, I got to thinking, is that really true anymore? Has the process been reversed? Have we become ‘Pagans’ in our December activities? Actually, no. What we have really done is ‘Secularised and Commercialised’ this time of Incarnation, the Advent preparation for the Word becoming flesh. Have the Cards, Cake, Mince pies, Turkey and Ham, Santa,Sprouts, Tinsel, Holly, Chubby Robins in the snow, Glitter, Overindulgence and General Roistering taken over over our true celebration? What does Christmas 2024 mean to us?

I’m not saying that these examples of traditional celebration are bad in themselves – certainly not. I love a goodfeed as much as the next man, as my waistline demonstrates. But if we look behind all of the (often artificial) jollity, there is a simple but earthshattering message of God’s love. If that truth is not front and centre, we completely miss the meaning of the feast.

We must never forget: Christmas is Christ Mass, the Eucharistic (Thanksgiving) prayerful remembrance of the birth of our Saviour, Redeemer and friend, Jesus.

Without Him, there is nothing to celebrate.

With Him, the light of the world has come.

p.s. When you get to the point where the whole festivity thing overload gets just too much, do you sometimes wonder – did Scrooge have a point? Answers on a Cracker.

Compliments of the Season from the Reverend Grumpy.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’

John the Baptist. Hermit. Prophet and Herald of the coming Kingdom of God- some say Elijah himself, returned as promised. Herod’s fascinating political prisoner. Herodias’ hated accuser. Fashion icon – he is, after all, the patron Saint of Tailors… Vegan. (Well possibly – ‘locusts’ could actually be Carob nuts, not insects!). He’s not the archetypal image of a holy man dressed up in fine temple clothes. It’s a wonder that he’s allowed out in public – the sort of person I imagine parents used to scare children and make them behave.

Make way! Make Way! He shouts. The equivalent of motorcycle outriders clearing the path through the crowds for a visiting Head of State. People wonder what on earth he’s talking about, but he has the unique ability to make people listen. The promised one, the Messiah is coming! Get ready. Once he has their attention, he gives them a right royal telling-off. Yes you– you breed of vipers! You’re for the high jump now! Say you’re sorry or else. You’ve a chance to start again, but it begins with you admitting that you need to repent, and then be ready – because your life is going to change forever.

And as for us – how do we respond? John announced the coming of the Messiah – our task is to prepare the way for people to realise that the Messiah has indeed now come, a realisation that starts with us. In our lives, in the things we say, in the things we do, to accept all that Jesus offers, and in following Him proclaim Him King of Kings. Make Way!

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-37

On this Advent Sunday, it is good to look both backward and forward – remembering the past year, with its blessings and sadnesses, and in anticipation of those same ups and downs in the year to come. We live in the knowledge that whatever may befall, Jesus will be present to share our joys and comfort our hurt. He is present – ever-present – in many roles, each offering support and hope in all the changing scenes of life.

When she was a girl, I wonder what Mary hoped for? Peaceful home? Kind, loyal husband? Loving, healthy family?

What did the angel promise? A child. Son of the most High. Eternal Kingdom. Throne of his ancestor David. Son of God.

It’s a long way from her expectation – especially since she hasn’t a husband yet. But Mary does a remarkable thing. Instead of questioning the reality or likelihood of the angel’s predictions, she asks a simple question. How can this be? – and is told that the Holy Spirit of God will make this happen.

And she just says yes, ok then.

No ‘what ifs’. No ‘buts’. No discussion, no compromise. She knows that the one true God, her God, holds the future and she is content to walk with Him into the unknown and unexpected. The ultimate example of Faith.

She will indeed have a child, a loving husband, a family. Not quite as she expected, though. Her child will be the one who will be with her always , until the end of the age. As He is always present with Mary, so He is present with me, and with you, too.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

The letter to the Hebrews couldn’t be clearer. The old ritual as described in detail in the Old Testament, in which a jewel-bedecked and richly adorned priest spills animal blood on an altar, has been replaced by the one all-encompassing sacrifice of God’s Son. No jewels. No fine clothes. No altar – a rough -hewn piece of wood on which the Prince of Peace is the sacrificial offering seeking redemption.

However, while Christians accept that Christ’s sacrifice is complete and sufficient, the appropriate celebration of this issue remains as the cause of division between those of different denominations. Some, of a Catholic Persuasion (n.b. not just ‘Roman’ Catholic), regard the Bread as incorporating (either symbolically or in reality) the consecrated blood of Jesus, and elevate it from the Altar in the Eucharistic Prayer for all to recognise as a sacrifice we offer to God. In theological terms, this is called ‘Sacrificium’ (sacrifice).

In an opposing doctrine in more conservative Protestant Theology, around God’s Holy Table He offers His Son to us. This is referred to as ‘beneficium’ (gift giving), that is, a gift from God to the faithful rather than from the faithful to God. The celebration of thanksgiving for salvation takes place within the context of a meal, and we share bread and wine as memorial of His words at the Last Supper.

Sacrifice or memorial? Millions of words on the issue haven’t reached a resolution, and probably won’t ever. But the important point is that this must not – Must Not!!! – cause division between all who proclaim Jesus as Lord. However we understand it, it is the Spirit-led recognition of His presence at the heart of our Eucharist that changes our lives and sets us free to be His Body on earth.