This is our day, this is our season, so we should be proud and honour to say merry Christmas, blessed Christmas, peace and joy filled Christmas!
by Rev Deacon Steven Lloyd SDB
Christmas morning 9:30am:
Firstly, can I wish you a very merry Christmas! Finally, it’s Christ’s day. We’ve been preparing for the coming of the Son of God into the world and in the likeness of humanity for 4 weeks- though Tesco’s and the likes have been preparing for 4months.
This is our day, this is our season, so we should be proud and honour to say merry Christmas, blessed Christmas, peace and joy filled Christmas! Though, for a lot of people I know this Christmas isn’t peaceful or joyful and I know many Christians feel they can’t say these greetings because Christ's day has been forgotten - we are so conscious of trying not to offended, some say happy holidays or season’s greetings or happy turkey day! Parts of the world, particularly in the west has forgotten that Jesus is the reason for the season.
A little boy, born in a stable in Bethlehem, who by his birth brought peace, joy, love and hope to the world! Jesus, born into a world of war, displacement, struggle, and challenge (no to dissimilar to our world today) brought shepherds and wise men together. It is a mystery beyond all telling, and John’s gospel today reminds us of that, he gives us a recap of God’s wonderful act of creation. At creation God made humanity he made us in his own image and likeness. But because of mistakes, bad decisions, silly choices we as humanity hid away from that likeness.
So, what does our loving God do? He sends his son- he becomes word made flesh. in the birth of Jesus, he took the likeness of humanity with all its impurities. So that he could save us. This little child, this perfect child this Prince of Peace comes into our world to give value, to give love, to give joy, to give us hope. Today, and every day we are invited to follow him, to love him to add value to the lives of those we meet, to ensure our presence brings peace and harmony because we are Christians, we are people of the light, we do not stay in the darkness of pain and suffering, we stand together, with Jesus at the manger and we go out sharing his love. So, going home today, shout from the side of the road, merry Christmas, blessed Christmas, peace, and joy to you this Christmas!
May Christ the Immanuel live strongly in your life, in your families and in you do this Christmas time.
Merry Christmas!!!
