Christmas – Reflecting on the real reason for the season

What brings you joy?
Is it when your kids are awarded accolades for excellence in academics & sport? Or when your business produces a good turnover?

Or maybe when you are healed from illness or disease? Or is it when your favourite team wins the Currie Cup? Is it possible that we can attain all these things and still be without joy?   It is no secret that we live in depressing times – a world filled with sad news, disappointments and a low level of confidence in leadership structures that were designed to make living easier. In general, people nowadays are more agitated, easily upset and are most likely to react in anger and frustration rather than with tolerance and understanding. It seems like genuine joy is missing from our lives. 

Times like these present the perfect environment for something sacred, transcendent and holy to be birthed. It was amidst the chaos of the deep and unknown that a mysterious yet loving God established life and order: the cycle of life and creation that we have come to know and enjoy. In relation to this truth, the centre piece of Christmas is not holidays, parties or presents but the joy of a compassionate God entering our world to abolish the shame, guilt and regret of our lives and to establish a new order of life – a life of second chances, filled with satisfaction and contentment even when we don’t have the perfect life, and a freedom to live beyond death.   It is against this backdrop that the birth of Jesus is recorded in the Gospel according to St Luke who portrays a gospel (good news) for the poor, the marginalised and those living without joy or hope. Women during Luke’s times were one such group that were socially marginalised and economically oppressed. Yet, the first announcements of good news that God was going to enter and save the world through a baby wasn’t made to kings, emperors or powerful people but to common women.

In the Gospel according to St Luke we read the heavenly announcements to the elderly Elizabeth, the young virgin Mary and the prophetess Anna. Mary responds to the news with a song of praise called the Magnificat. Her response and acceptance to be God’s agent is of crucial significance for any of us who are seeking a breakthrough for our lives or society.   In the Magnificat, Mary praises God for salvation of the lowly & oppressed; she celebrates God’s victories, and reversal in bringing down the powerful and lifting up the lowly. The Magnificat inspires song and choral music as Mary glorifies God for what God is going to do for the world through her. In it Mary raises many controversial issues:

• God puts down rulers from their throne (political)
• God lifts up the humble (social)
• God fills the hungry with good things & sends the rich away empty (economics).

Through this narrative Luke portrays a God who changes the shame of a virgin to honour; a God who transcends death and establishes everlasting life; a God who transforms social neglect to His appreciation. 

Perhaps this Christmas you find yourself sad, defeated, and drained. If you feel that that you have missed opportunities this year or that your life has lost its shine and brilliance, or maybe you are full of regret, shame and guilt. If you desire joy, learn from Mary’s Song that God is in control and He chooses the least of us; that God doesn’t judge us and that He already has forgiven us in advance by sending His only Son to come into the world to show us how to live in His love. The message of Christmas is that the gift has already been designed, manufactured and fully paid for by God. The job has been done and the task is completed.

All you and I have to do is to respond by accepting God’s invitation to be His agent of salvation and transformation in the world. God needs us and the world needs us. Unwrap yourself a joyful Christmas! Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year. Wesley.