City United Reformed Church, Cardiff

After a year of fear and worry comes the joy of Christmas – time to remember the birth of a baby

Dear Friends
Well, it has been some month. Well, it has been some year. All of us can probably remember and celebrate some good things that have happened in our lives over the past month or year. We may also note the events across the world – election results, use of new arms in Russia/Ukraine, naming war crimes in Palestine. We wonder, maybe worry even, about the impact of elections, taxes, climate change, etc.
In contrast to fears and worries, we enter now the frenzy and joy of December and Christmas celebrations. ‘Santa Claus is coming to town.’ We are meeting family and friends we haven’t seen for a while. Our diaries are full of parties and meals and children’s plays – and funerals and anniversaries. Life is busy, busy, busy, bringing with it joy and sadness.
Amidst all the cultural clutter and family festivities, let’s intentionally make space to remember the birth of a baby. After all, it is the birth of Jesus around which we have created all these December traditions. When Jesus was born, God took a risk to midwife the birth of Love. We can see through the Old Testament that time and again God reached out to people in love – and they strayed from the message. They forgot to seek justice and to care for those who were vulnerable. Despite the forgetfulness
and wandering of the people, God’s love didn’t let go. God tried again and again. God’s message came to the world again in the birth of Love in Jesus.
Sharing love is always a risky business. When the message came this time, the people of God were living under an oppressive regime, the Romans.
They were vulnerable but God saw their pain and sent Jesus to show them what love looks like. Jesus/Love was born in a humble place, amid ordinary people.
In this fragile time and broken world, we may wonder about the wisdom of Love revealed in Jesus. When war, poverty, tyranny and fear dominate across the world, we may wonder how Love can be born among us now.

Madeleine L’Engle encourages us in ‘The Risk of Birth’:

This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war & hate
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.

That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honour & truth were trampled to scorn—
Yet here did the Saviour make His home.
When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn—
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.  

It is clear that ‘what the world (still) needs now is Love, sweet Love.’ In
the midst of the fun, the fear, and the festivities of this season, may we let
Love be born for us, and through us.
May you have a blessed Advent and a joy-filled Christmas.
Martha and David