And the Word Became Flesh – December Clergy Reflection
And the Word Became Flesh and Made His Dwelling Among us.
As Christmas approaches, our Cathedral prepares itself to celebrate the birth at Bethlehem of Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace. The child born in a stable, laid in a manger, visited by shepherds and exalted by kings, began his life as a homeless refugee in an alien land uncertain about what the future might hold.
His coming 2000 years ago not only upset the institutions of state but fundamentally reordered the world’s understanding of God and how we could approach and worship him today. He came, that we might have life in all its fulness. He came as God’s Word made flesh, full of grace and truth. He came pointing us back to the God of love and inviting all into God’s extravagant and big-hearted kingdom.
This Christmas, we enter the story once again under a canopy of conflict, uncertainty and confusion. Wars in Europe and the Holy Land, economic insecurity for many within our own nation and a real bewilderment about what’s happening to the wonderful world we live in. If that is not enough, our own church is being torn apart by factions within and criticism from the world around us. The Archbishop of Canterbury has resigned, and calls for the Archbishop of York, other bishops and senior administrators within the wider institution to follow his example and go, continue to disrupt and potentially undermine the good news of the Christmas story.
But the birth of Jesus reveals something far bigger than the troubles of the world in which we live and the failures of the church of which we are a part. The birth of Jesus assures us that God is with us in every circumstance of life. The birth of Jesus offers us an invitation to find fresh hope, joy and peace even when the world around us, our own community, or our family appear to be falling apart. It is at this moment that we can find renewed strength and comfort for our lives if we like the shepherds and kings can look beyond our own perspectives, ambitions and prejudices and enter into the mystery of the Word made flesh, God with us.
This year, it is important to celebrate more than ever the richness of the Christmas story and how it can make a difference in the world around us and in our own lives. So, I invite you to join us, either here in the Cathedral or online through our streamed services. Take this opportunity to invite friends and neighbours to come with you and celebrate the joys of Christmas as part of a bigger community.
Our service of Nine Lessons and Carols on 23rd December is always extremely popular, telling the story of salvation in readings and carols. Midnight Mass at 11.45pm on 24th December along with the 9am Parish Eucharist and the 10.30am Cathedral Eucharist on Christmas morning are some of the high spots of the year
A great service for families and small children is the Carols Around the Crib service on 24th December at 4pm – a great way to start your family Christmas celebrations.
I look forward to welcoming you over the Advent and Christmas seasons and pray that God’s peace and joy will fill your hearts.
Right Revd Peter Howell-Jones
Dean of Blackburn
