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OPEN
SPACE
WHO PAYS
By Richard Lee
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Danish - Glædelig Jul : Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest : Filipino -
Maligayang Pasko : Finnish - Hyvaa joulua : French - Joyeux Noël :
German - Fröhliche Weihnachten : Greek - Kala Christouyenna! Danish
- Glædelig Jul : Italian Buone Feste Natalizie! Spanish Feliz
Navidad! Christmas has a habit of creeping up on you – as well
prepared as we all want to be, try to be or even dare to say to
family, friends and even ourselves, the highly optimistic words –
‘Yes, all ok, all prepared - the presents are bought, paid for,
wrapped, under the tree and all the Christmas meals are being
prepared for the family by the Christmas Fairy, who only today, told
me not to worry about anything’. Any one spot the problem with that
statement? Yes, that simple statement ‘paid for’ – that’s the
illusion I could believe all the rest. I have lived in quite a
number of countries and shared Christmas Greeting in many different
languages, foods, beverages and songs ( Oh and times too – the
Orthodox Churches focus the Festival on January 6th not 25th
December). The impact of the Festival is just the same in whatever
language you use. It seems that we are never quite ready for the
Christmas event? In a funny way that’s not surprising. The world
wasn’t ready for the coming of the Christ child the first time
round. Shepherds off in the fields, Magi (Wise Men or Kings) were
wandering all over the place asking advice from highly dubious
people (Herod). The more you read the Christmas story the more it
sounds like chaos. The only person who seemed to stay calm and cope
was Mary. She got on with having her child while everyone else was
consumed by cares and wants, needs and demands. Joseph was so
distracted he couldn’t even find anywhere for Mary to lay her head.
So running about, like headless chickens (turkeys?) consumed by
cares, needs and wants and being pressurised by all that is going on
was all part of the event long before we added our personal
anxieties to it all. No one can anticipate the impact of the
Christmas event. The audacity of the claim that God loved the whole
creation so much that He was prepared to become part of it in the
form of an ordinary human being is quite daunting. Just look at the
way we treat His creation, we use it, exploit it, kill it and even
dare to refer to it as fallen or unworthy? He made it, became part
of it, died for it, rose for it and lives for it today. He gave it
all to us as a present, gift wrapped in nature and even paid the
ultimate price for it – his own life. No wonder we find it hard work
and are as good at it as our ancestors were, we are just never ready
for it and would rather enjoy a good moan than a good party. So
please do celebrate Christmas and the promise it offers; just don’t
forget who paid the ultimate price for it!
The Rev’d Richard Lee
Team Rector Egremont
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