So, I had a very quiet but fantabulous Christmas 2016. It started off with Church at 6:00 am at Church of the Ascension in Mona. This was like a crescendo starting with the celebration of the Reign of Christ through Advent with the lighting of one more candle each week in the Advent Wreath to Christmas Day

And what a morning it was! Church started as a party (Please don’t tell, that I said so) but it was. It started with ‘Feliz Navidad’. The Music ministry team then did three items the last of which was Barry Chevannes’ ‘Early Christmas Mawnin when the stars dem getting thin’.  Then we lit the Christ Candle of the Advent Wreath and the Liturgy proceeded as per the Book of Common Prayer. The steel band, and the band augmented the piano or organ throughout the service. At the end before the closing Hymn another set of items including the Christmas version of Hallelujah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyCLe7JlpyE  and the former Rector playing his harmonica. Then after the recessional (closing) hymn the real party started, beginning with ‘We wish you a merry Christmas’. The steel band played a series of Christmas Songs. People started moving to the beat. It was a joy to see.  Sadly we had to go to another service. Some things struck me about that day.

First, Church can be fun and should be fun. It should not be dead and boring even though our services are not loud and we have periods of silence. We don’t always have persons shouting Allelujah outside of where the BCP says we should, and even this varies from Church to Church. Every Sunday I look forward to going to the Church of the Ascension because every worship service differs even though we use the same book of Common Prayer every time. No variation! I go wondering what will be different this morning. I have yet to be disappointed. I did a survey of how the congregation felt about worship ( a class assignment). All respondents liked the format of worship and the mix of music. The other thing that was striking was that most respondents said they would change nothing. Most of those who wanted change wanted to sing more choruses.

Secondly, in the midst of life there is death. During the service a congregant’s father died. Father agreed to administer the last rites. We did this before going on to the second service. I don’t recall ever attending one of these. (I do recall that when my father was dying we called our priest who stopped on his way to Church and he did something, I don’t know what.) We prayed, ushering him onwards and anointed him with oil. Father had us repeat the 23^rd psalm. I don’t know who fool him that we knew it. But I was brave and under his lead was able to say it through. Tried saying by myself and I am hopeless I don’t know the verses in order. Don’t mess with me! I know what it says, but to recite it? Nah!  Seriously though, it is important that we understand the stages of life and accept our inevitable death. If we can accept that we are going to die then it is easier to accept that others are going to die and leave us. It is something we have to think about and not gloss over or pay lip service. Understanding that death is a part of life allows us to reflect on the fact that as Christians, physical death is not the end of our journey. But it is actually the beginning of a new phase of life. A phase that you do not participate in if you do not believe in the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. I am tempted to say we go home to heaven. I believe in heaven, with milk and honey and streets of Gold. For many that’s not their concept of heaven. I do not really think it matters. What is important is the understanding that death for those who believe, is only the end of the earthly life. The spirit lives on awaiting the day of resurrection.

Maybe this point should have been first as I started out telling you about Christmas being at the end of a crescendo. The priest of my home Church gets very excited about the last Sunday in ordinary time – that is the Sunday before advent starts. On that Sunday we celebrate the Reign of Christ the King. Then we have Advent when we prepare our hearts and mind to celebrate the commemoration of the birth of Christ.  We also in Advent remember the time when Jesus will come a second time to judge the world. Some Churches celebrate Advent as they would Lent, as if it were a penitential season. While it is a season of preparation, watchfulness and consideration, Advent is more celebratory and joyous. Thomas Keating describes it as preparation for “the spiritual birth of Jesus in us through our participation in the unfolding of the Christmas-Epiphany Mystery”. Now tell me what is repentant about the birth of a child? Nuh pure excitement as you can’t wait to see the baby born?

Christmas as Father Michael of the Church of Ascension suggests is about how a child changes the people into whose lives they come. He says when you have a baby suddenly your life changes. You have to consider the child, – how the decisions you make impact that child and how the child impacts your life. It is not only your life that is affected, but the grandparents, the aunts, uncles, friends who pitch in to help raise the child, so this child affects the wider community. So, it is with the incarnation of Jesus. His birth affects the whole world. His coming did not just change the lives of His parents, but the shepherds, the Magi, the families who lost children because Herod was afraid of the new King, and all who heard him and proclaim his word to this day.  So, the third thing that struck me is that Christmas is a culmination and a beginning of who we are as Christians. Culmination because the word became flesh not just in Jesus Christ coming on earth but in us receiving it and a beginning because as it marks/symbolises the start of the word in in impacting others.

The fourth and final thing is that God provides. This Christmas was very different for me personally. It was one of those growth moments when you realize that your life has changed. But God in his infinite wisdom, place people in your lives to ensure that it runs smoothly. You just have to trust him. Even when you think you are alone, know that he is there always with you, seeing to your needs before you ask. You remember Jesus sending the disciples into the town when he was to enter Jerusalem to get the donkey that was waiting? Is same so God works in our lives. He has everything laid out all ready and waiting for you to access.