“It’s Christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid” so sang the myriad of singers in the original (and best) Live Aid song, “Do they know it’s Christmas?” way back in the 1980s. A song put together by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof as a way of raising money and awareness of the problems of famine and lack of clean water in parts of Africa.
As a project it worked enormously well and the work of Live Aid is still continuing in helping raise our awareness of our connectedness of living in one world together. I say all that as I’m beginning to realise that the way we celebrate Christmas can appear to be incredibly selfish and insular. In many ways we, despite our protestations, can so easily get involved in the rush to Christmas, making sure we have enough food, drink, presents and the bumper copy of the Radio Times. We act as if without these things, Christmas just isn’t Christmas.
Yet, the reality is that we rush to “celebrate” Christmas without, in my opinion, giving enough thought to two things. Firstly, the season of Advent, that wonderful time of preparation, waiting and awareness that should give us an opportunity to understand the big picture of our place in God’s world and the reality of the Incarnational nature of the God we worship.
Secondly, I think we need to rediscover an element of fear about our Christmas. Everybody else seems to be afraid. The shepherds, Mary, Joseph and, dare I say, the visitors from the East travelling thousands of miles into the unknown. But, for me, it is the fear of the incarnational God who comes into our world as a baby and demands so much from us.
The Christ-child expects his followers to take their faith seriously, to serve and to love without prejudice and without any hint of reward. God makes demands upon us that should make us just a little uncomfortable and fearful as we celebrate Christmas 2011.
May I wish you all a very blessed time this Christmas.
Jeff Reynolds
