Colour Supplement

Articles by Christians around the world

Sunday 16 December 2007

At Christmas let the mystery take hold of you

A personal message for Christmas 2007 from Bishop Peter

of Bath and Wells

One of the most depressing aspects of Christmas for me is the television adverts that announce that the shops will be open again on 26 December. I think of the shop workers, who have struggled through the frantic preparations of other people’s Christmas, and  who arrive at their own Christmas Day weary and unable to relax and enjoy the festival because they have to be back at work the next day. I think too of the shoppers, who will be tempted by the bargains of the sales cynically manipulated by the superstores.

The history of the modern Christmas is both long and complicated. However, in the 12th century a revival of the celebration of the twelve days of Christmas occurred. Part of the reason was that people had a greater sense of celebrating the birth of Jesus than we do today. Perhaps too, people had a greater sense of the time needed for a mother to get up and get going after the birth of a baby. Doing this too quickly was seen as just plain bad.

Giving And Receiving

The twelve days of Christmas, from Christmas Eve to 6 January provide us with an opportunity to think of ourselves as those who assist Mary in giving birth, considering how and why her newborn child is going to change the world.

Christmas is a time for people to come together: a time of giving and receiving. But such ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ has the potential to be so much more than tearing the wrappers off lovingly prepared gifts.

It is a time for giving time: a time for receiving, for listening. It is a time to reflect on relationships, of dealing with regrets, of making new resolve, of choosing to live more openly, more lovingly. It is a time for looking ahead and seeing how the Christ child can inspire us to look at the world differently: a time to see how we can make a difference, however small, so that people everywhere can live more hopefully and humanly.

The Mystery

Why not give yourself, and those whom you love, the gift of time, of remembrance, of stopping, listening; of putting right wrongs; dreaming dreams; seeking to live more freely?

Don’t rush off to the sales on Boxing Day - most of what is on offer is not really needed. Give time, take time, and let the mystery of the Christ child, who comes to bring us grace and peace, take hold of your heart, your home and your life.

Happy Christmas. 

+Peter

Bath & Wells

The Palace, Wells, Somerset.  BA5 2PD

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