O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie.
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by…
It won’t be long before the words of Carol’s like this start to be sung. This includes an invite to come to ‘Build the Nativity and Sing’ on Tuesday 19th Dec, 7pm, at the Parade.
The picture of Bethlehem this Carol paints does not align with the reality of today. The TV screen is filled with the conflict centred in Palestine and Israel. Amongst the rhetoric from both sides are the stories of loss and grief that sadly but inevitably form the narrative of any armed conflict. As news reports unfold familiar place names including Bethlehem are mentioned.
The region is no stranger to conflict. Some two thousand years ago it was an occupation by a foreign army that led to a man and his pregnant young bride to be, being forced to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem where the child would be born as scripture had foretold. A child that, with his mother and father, would soon have to flee to Egypt to seek sanctuary from the threat of Herod.
When we look at the images of the baby in a nativity scene it is hard to imagine that this defenceless baby swaddled in cloths, born in humble surroundings would have much of an impact on the world. The image of that baby does not foretell the miracles that he would perform, or the impact on history and everyday life that would still be present some two thousand years later. As a man Jesus travelled no more than a few hundred miles, he wrote no books and led no armies: Yet his life changed the course of human history and has shaped the lives and cultures of millions across the globe.
When I look at the people and situations presented to me on my TV screens I can only hope and pray that the something happens to allow peace to reign in that area.
The concepts of love and peace are at the heart of Christmas. Sometimes that peace and love comes from faith and sometimes from being with ones we care for.
This Christmas, I pray for peace both in far off lands and in our own lives. I pray that you will know both the love of those around you and the peace that God has for you.
Have a Merry Christmas and you are welcome to join us at the Vine at any time as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
