Last weekend I attended a performance of the Messiah. The theatre was full, the orchestra, choir and soloists working together in perfect harmony, the biblical texts rich with meaning. Composed by George Frederic Handel in 1741, the Messiah was created during a time of deep social anxiety: there was a shift from an agrarian economy along with economic upheaval; cities were growing quickly and disease, due to poor sanitation, was widespread; there was political division. And while Handel wrote the music, the selection of biblical texts is attributed to Charles Jennens. A devout Christian, he was a man of wealth with an interest in the arts. Combined with the music, the biblical texts he chose are uplifting. This creative piece, the result of collaboration between two artists, emerging from its own troubled social context, offers a beautiful interpretation of the story of God’s relationship with humanity. A biblical pilgrimage story, a story of hope.
And then I returned home to the shocking news of the Bondi shootings.
It is difficult to understand what is in the heart of someone who inflicts violence upon another. We all know that terrible things can happen in life – illness, accidents, disappointments – but violence such as we witnessed in Bondi is a whole new level of terrible. An attack on our fellow Jewish Australians, and even with the stories of bravery and generosity rising up a shadow of suffering shapes the Christmas story this year.
In Bethlehem the Christmas tree in front of the Church of the Nativity was lit. This comes after the cancellation of two years of public celebrations for Christians in the occupied West Bank because of the war in Gaza. The Mayor of Bethlehem observed that ‘Some may say it’s not appropriate and others say it’s appropriate, but deep inside my heart, I felt that this was the right thing to do because Christmas should never be stopped or cancelled. This is the light of hope for us.’ In a place where grief, uncertainty, and a longing for peace are so close to the surface, the lighting of the tree is a quiet reminder of hope. That even in the shadow of conflict, people will keep choosing light. That the story of Christmas – God with us – still speaks into the hardest of times.
The first readings throughout these Advent days have reminded us of the longings of our earliest ancestors in faith – for peace, for relief from oppression, for a God to hear their cries, to understand their lives. The prophetic voice of Isaiah has spoken with steadfast conviction about the one who is to come. Days of promise lie ahead! The Lord hears our cry and he will answer. On this fourth Sunday in Advent the birth story of Jesus is from Matthew’s gospel. Mary is almost a sideline figure here – it is the heart of Joseph with which we are interested. Having decided to divorce a pregnant Mary, the angel of the Lord appears in a dream urging him to not be afraid. The child is revealed to be the fulfillment of the prophecy – the Emmanuel – God-with-us. On waking, Joseph responds in faith. As with Mary, he responds to God’s call and with Mary steps into the unknown. This is their pilgrimage in faith.
Millions of people will gather around the table of the Lord during this Christmas time. The journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem will once again be told and we will be invited to stop for a moment at the manger – because for people of faith the hope of the world lies there.
The world, as we saw on the weekend, can be a harsh place and our hearts can become hardened. We read about tragedies, weep for those affected, and feel small and helpless in the face of the suffering that violence brings. Disappointments in our own lives can leave us frustrated and questioning: “Where is God in all of this?”
Yet, this is the great gift of Christmas. It has the power to reawaken hope in a weary and overwhelmed world. Wherever our own pilgrimage of life has taken us this year, we gather under a Bethlehem sky. We sing carols and ponder the world where angels deliver good news, shepherds watch the heavens, and a star shines brightly. Where two humble people of faith present to the world their child – the Emmanuel.
The poet GK Chesterton wrote
Good news; but if you ask me what it is, I know not:
It is a track of feet in the snow,
It is a lantern showing a path,
It is a door set open.
May we step with joy through the Christmas door! God is with us.
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Laura Facci says:
Thank you Cathy for another wonderful reflection.