Countless people are still held hostage by unnamed guerilla and terorrist groups.  Others are imprisoned for their beliefs.  A man is released from death row after 20years.  People released from Guantanamo face extradition and fresh charges.  Tomorrow I have a mega pastoral situation to deal with, which may well spoil a family's Christmas.  As I have pondered these facts, words from E Nesbitt's classic The Railway Children came to mind...

It is after the Russian gentleman has been taken in by the family, after the mother has had news about the children's father (in jail for fraud) that, at the end of Chapter 5 we find these words...

Presently [mother] said, "Dears, when you say your prayers, I think you might ask God to show His pity upon all prisoners and captives."

"To show His pity," Bobbie repeated slowly, "upon all prisoners and captives. Is that right, Mother?"

"Yes," said Mother, "upon all prisoners and captives. All prisoners and captives."

 

May it be God's word to us, this Christmas time.

Check out what Rowan Williams actually said to the Times here.  It's nothing new to anyone who knows what the Bible actually says - and it does what I'm meant to be doing on Christmas Day - challenging the 'faithful' to see how much they have absorbed traditions and legends as gospel.  I am doing a 'truth or tradition' quiz, with pictures, and blow me down if Archbishop Rowan hasn't picked up all the same themes.  Bah, candy canes!

And yet... I recall reading a theology book about five years ago (alas I cannot remember which - Sean please help me out you made me read it!) that took a more hopeful approach to this, that actually in the Christmas card scenes, in the nativity play synthesis, God actually reveals new things to us: the ox and ass link us with Christ as the saviour of the world (kosmos) not just the people on it, that the shepherds and kings together in the stable point us to the fact that in Christ there is neither Jew/gentile, slave/free male/female.  The layering and glittering may in fact add to, not detract from, the truths of the story.

So, Rowan Williams is absolutely right about legends and traditions, and yet God, being God, can still speak through them.  Yeah, way to go God!  Mystery and wonder - exactly what all this is about, and what the good Archbishop hints at anyway.

When I had a cold at Christmas the first year I was here, one of my people observed "oh, ministers always have colds at Christmas, I don't know why."  Hmm.

Last year I failed to oblige - but judging by the sore throat, blocked sinuses, shivers and general grottiness this morning, I am set to give them what they desire this time... Ah well, courtesy of Smith Kline Beecham, Christmas will go on!

Check this out for a bit of fun (hat tip -Julie)

If you are too young to recall 'O' levels, I'm sure the GCSE version - complete with modules and course work - will be available soon.

... the Advent lunches raised £150 for HMF (or my wages, depending how you look at it!), when about 20 different people shared fellowship over four weeks, when it is going to turn into a monthly prayer meeting after Christmas... and I now have my living room back for a couple of days!!