I had to take my car to the garage in Knaresborough for its MOT just before Christmas. It was a icy morning and it took me ages to scrape the ice off it once I’d found some de icer. The traffic on the Ripon by pass was horrendous and I hate being late for anything and I get grouchy and impatient in a traffic jam. Shouting “come on” at the car in front doesn’t help.
So we sat in two lines of stationery traffic freezing cold and the woman in the next lane had a face on her as miserable as mine. Then Zoe Ball on Radio 2 played “we wish you a wombling merry Christmas” by the wombles and we both laughed as we noticed each other singing along! The fact I have a Wombles LP and some 46 years after that song was released it is rather sad but the words were in me as I was word perfect!
Both of us in the traffic jam took notice of what was being shared with us and we responded. What words do we listen to and alter our lives? I guess we’ve all sat and listened to government briefings, several even in the last few days as the Prime Minister or the rather beleaguered looking Matt Hancock come out and tell us what tier we are in and what we can do. The words affect us.
All words, communication does that - we can either feel jolly with the Wombles or shout at the TV at Matt Hancock.
At Christmas we encounter the word. It’s intestine that John 1 is the lectionary passage for the first Sunday of a New Year. The word became flesh and dwelt among us we are told. The word is incarnate. One with us.
The words at the heart of the Christmas story are words of peace, tidings of great joy, goodwill, inclusivity and vulnerability. The word is life changing and it is here.
Of course there are two responses to the word. Here’s the Matt Hancock one: He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” .“He came unto his own, and his own received him not”
So it’s ignored, or seen as irrelevant - surely our task as churches is to bring that word alive and make people notice it. When Queen Victoria was there she sometimes took a walk outside the grounds of the castle disguised in old clothing. Her bodyguard John Brown followed her. As she walked down the road she came to a flock of sheep driven by a boy. He shouted at her, “Keep out of the way, you stupid old woman.” The Queen smiled, but said nothing. A moment later her bodyguard came up to the boy and said, “Be quiet, that is the Queen.” “Well,” said the boy, “she should dress like a queen!”
That’s the way it was with Jesus.
But here’s the Wombles reaction: to those that received him he gave the right to become children of God... it’s rather awesome that isn’t it? This word comes down from heaven, empties itself of all but love, and shares all of life with us, so we can see through it the glory of God. God with us.
Sam Wells from St Martin in the fields puts it well how the church should be if we embrace this word: I have a particular interest in the word “with”, which I see as the crucial word in theology. By using the words “God with us”, you’re describing the incarnation as the place from which theology begins for Christians.
I think it begins with pastoral care, because in pastoral care what a minister, priest, pastor — not always an ordained person — is doing is [that] they are dwelling with another person at the most challenging points in their lives, to which there aren’t usually answers; and not running away from those places, and staying in those places until the Holy Spirit reveals the face of Christ. . .
The best of all is God is with us. The word made flesh dwells with you and with me.
There are a lot of words spoken to us in life. This word is God’s gift to us as 2021 dawns.
2021 will open with many words: the Prime Minister wants us to inwardly digest his deal with the EU and words about fish; we will still need to listen to words about restrictions and tiers and when we might be called for a vaccine. I know three church members who have been to Harrogate for their first one. We will hear words of hope and fear as people voice their feelings as a new year opens.
The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. No matter what the world is up to, God is here with us. There is no greater Christmas present. And it’s a present that lasts well beyond twelfth night into the reality of January.
Hovering Spirit, because of You there was a beginning. Heavenly Dove, because of You there is a continuing. Untameable Wind, because of You there will be a completing.
From the emptiness before the birth of time to the fullness of the new earth and heaven, Holy Spirit, You breathe and blow,
dancing to our Creator’s tune,
in step with our Saviour’s purposes.
Fill our expectant hearts
as we stand on this threshold of a new year. We have been here so many times;
and we have never been here before.
Source, Saviour, Spring of life,
refreshing and replenishing God,
all that pours from You is good and wise and true. Soak us with the delight of Your surprising nearness and let us splash in puddles of joy.
God in Community,
how privileged we are to be Your people, chosen and known and loved by You,
here and now and in all our days gone by and still to come.
(Prayer from the Church of Scotland website)
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