Carols and Candles Letters Home

Transcription

1 Carols and Candles Letters Home For many years a carol service has been held at St Tudwal s church, Llanstadwell, on the Sunday evening before Christmas. Back in 2012 I felt it was time for something a little different from the standard Bible readings mixed with the predictable writings of John Betjeman, T S Eliot, and Dylan Thomas. The first service I created was called Mary and the Angel. Letters Home is a follow-up. A third service Then and Now followed in The Welcome and Blessing were the job of the Vicar. The Then readings (the Biblical ones) were read by one member of the congregation and the Now readings by another. A third member was responsible for the prayers. The carols of course are entirely a matter of choice, as is the final destination of the collection, and the version of the Bible used for the readings. (I have used the NIV.) If you are lucky enough to have a choir then anthems etc can be added. As people arrive they are given a candle, a carol sheet, and an order of service. (Each candle is threaded through a small hole in the centre of a small square of card to protect hands and/or gloves from any dripping wax.) During the final carol we light the candles and dim the lights as much as possible for the reading from John s Gospel, and people are encouraged to take their candle out with them after the service to take the light of Christmas into a dark world. Please contact me if you have any queries, feedback or new ideas! Dorothy Cox. cox@hazelbank111.fsnet.co.uk

2 Carols and Candles - Then and Now Welcome Carol: Once in royal David s city Isaiah Carol: It came upon the midnight clear Then and Now Luke The Angel Carol: Hark the herald angels sing Mary and Joseph Luke The Census and The Journey Carol: O little town of Bethlehem Luke The Shepherds Prayers Carol: The first nowell Matthew Three Wise Men and the Flight Carol: As with gladness men of old What can we Learn? Carol: O come all ye faithful John Blessing

3 Then and Now It is the season of the nativity play. Such plays are being performed in churches, schools and village halls across the globe at this time of the year and they are probably much the same as they were when you took part and quite possibly when a good few of your ancestors did too. It is a time when frazzled teachers and helpers devote many hours to rehearsals, persuading bored narrators to learn lines, recalcitrant shepherds to sing cheerfully and not wave at Grandma, and bickering angels not to mangle each other s wings. It is a time for parents to search frantically for that best possible sheep costume, find a dressing gown and tea-towel that is different from last year s, and cut down an old evening dress to make a suitable robe for a wise man. In 2013 a poll in the Church Times revealed that today Jesus would be expected to be born in Yorkshire! Despite that the story itself is rarely seen out of its context. Time and place are consistent with just about every version. The whole thing would make little sense at all if the place were different. The timing, of course, has been much debated for centuries by scholars and theologians using copious amounts of archaeological research, astronomical data, and scant written records. It is more or less generally agreed that the events took place around about 4AD, give or take a year or two either way. Why then? Why not a century before, a millennium after? Why not now? And if it were to happen in 2015 how would it be different?

4 The Angel Gabriel is the first character we meet in the usual retelling of the story. Gabriel is the angel who is charged with the task of bringing the news to Mary that she is to give birth to the Son of God. How would he get in touch today? Nazareth was a random collection of mud brick houses with only a small population back in 4AD. It is highly unlikely that Mary and Joseph would be living there now. Nazareth today is a large sprawling and mainly very poor city, part of the West Bank, with a population of around 70,000, mainly Palestinian Arabs. There is however a Jewish settlement overlooking it, Nazareth Illit, from a hill just outside. Founded in 1956 its population is now more than 50,000 and still growing. The settlers, among whom Gabriel might be looking for Mary, live mainly in ugly high-rise blocks, with no easy access provided for visiting angels. In this day and age Gabriel may well use an internet based means of communication; Facebook, Twitter or Skype. Twitter might pose a bit of a problem. Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He wil. and that is as far as he would get in the designated 140 characters and spaces, nowhere near enough for everything he had to say. Facebook would be an unlikely choice too as there is a danger the whole thing could go viral in a matter of hours; something which is definitely not part of the plan. Skype looks like the best option then and, if the signal is good, it is considered by some almost as good as a face to face meeting.

5 Mary and Joseph The majority of Jewish teenagers in the settlements of Israel today are much the same as teenagers the world over. They are very much at home with the internet, s and www. activities in general. No long blue robes and covered heads for the girls or scratchy shifts and baggy trousers for the boys. It is the universal jeans and t-shirts for the majority now, with phones either glued to ears or held out in front, thumbs clicking away, texting or playing games. What is different from youngsters in Europe in particular is that almost everyone is expected to do two years military service, swapping t-shirt and jeans for military fatigues and a rifle. This is supposed to be seen as a duty to one s country and is unpaid apart from a small grant and is therefore very much resented. With his national service out of the way Joseph would probably be employed as a craftsman on one of the construction sites in the city. The cost of living in Israel is high and a large proportion of Jewish women continue to work after they are married. Officially there is no gender discrimination and women can and do train for careers in all walks of life. For our purposes Mary will just have finished her military service but not yet started on a career. Prompted by an from Gabriel Joseph agrees to stand by Mary.

6 The Census and the Journey. The population of Israel when Jesus was born is estimated at between 500,000 and 600,000. In 1948, when the modern state of Israel was created, the population was 806,000. Today it is 8,252,500. The Israeli government carry out a census on a fairly frequent basis. It is carried out by interviewers with computers, in homes and by telephone, or 2 different forms are sent out to households to be completed and returned. No one has to go back to their family s home town any more to register like they did in Roman times. So, 21 st century Joseph and Mary need to get to Bethlehem for another reason. A family gathering perhaps a birthday or an important religious festival? In 2014 the Jewish festival of Hanukkah is celebrated from December 16 th to the 26 th. It celebrates the rededication of the temple after Greek rulers were defeated, and also the triumph of light over darkness what could be more appropriate? Of course there won t be any need for a donkey this time. Mary and Joseph pile into the family car and go off to Bethlehem with other members of the family to spend time with Grandma over the festive season. But even today the trip is not an easy one. They will have to cross the occupied West Bank as they travel down the rift valley to Jericho and then cross the barrier that surrounds Jerusalem to get to Bethlehem. The more direct route across the hills through Nablus is hardly worth contemplating as it has checkpoints and diversions every few miles. They could travel via the coast but again would have to cross the barrier. Whichever way they choose their journey will be long, tedious and pretty uncomfortable for all of them, especially a heavily pregnant Mary. The 80 mile or so journey would probably take 3 hours or more.

7 Grandma s flat isn t likely to be all that spacious, camp beds and sleeping bags would probably have been brought by the guests themselves and everyone will have to muck in together. And of course, babies being what they are, it will be in the middle of the night that the baby will choose to appear, and in a hurry. There will be no time for Mary to get to hospital and the baby will be delivered in the back bedroom of Grandma s tiny flat.

8 The Shepherds. Of course no one has come up with an exact and indisputable date and time for the birth of Jesus but if we are going to have Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem for Hanukkah in 2014 then it will have to be December. Although there are still shepherds and sheep on the hills around Bethlehem today the chances of them being there in December are very slight as if would be far too cold. Our 21 st century shepherds are probably spending the night in the relative comfort of a large barn. And the angels? Not much point in lighting up the night sky if there s no one out and about to see them, but one of the shepherd boys is bound to have brought his i-pad along with him to while away the long hours of the night shift, and will of course see the most popular YouTube video of all time a choir of angels singing about the birth of a king which will surely overtake the current record of the South Korean singer-songwriter PSY and his song Gangnam Style which has chalked up over two billion hits. Perhaps one of the shepherds knows Grandma well and he and one or two others will call in at the flat on their way home when their shift is done.

9 Three Wise Men and the Flight. There is no shortage in the Middle East today of bad guys to take the place of Herod. Middle Eastern leaders and would-be leaders appear to have no qualms about using any and all methods available to them to achieve their ambitions, and none of them would take too kindly to the news of a rival. We only have to look in Iraq, Syria, Egypt Finding three wise men however might just be a little more difficult. Perhaps a three-man delegation from the EU would suffice but probably, if recent experience is anything to go by, there would be too much resentment and bickering for them to put together an effective package in time. The United Nations might be better; a three-man fact-finding delegation that those in power in the country want to subvert. Sat-navs will replace the need for detailed astrological knowledge and blue berets and army fatigues will replace the ornate headgear and gorgeous robes. A white Landrover, a huge blue U N painted on the roof, will replace the trusty but exceedingly slow camel. Both the distinctive beret and Landrover will be necessary to signify their impartiality, and keep them safe, they hope, from snipers, suicide bombers and rockets. State of the art communication methods will keep them aware of any dangers but they will indeed need to be both wise and wily to get to Bethlehem and home again unscathed. What gifts would they bring? Odd though it will seem to 21 st century Mary and Joseph perhaps the original gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh with their symbolism of what was to come will be just as relevant today.

10 Mary and Joseph will not be able to stay too long with Grandma. When the wise men have retreated to the safety of Geneva to report they will need to make a move. But where to? Joseph will receive an telling him not go back to Nazareth because it isn t safe. Back in 4AD they went off to Egypt until things had settled down at home but at the moment Egypt doesn t look like much of a safe haven. The most stable country in the region at the moment is probably Jordan where they can join the many thousands of refugees trying to find safety and relative peace.

11 What can we Learn? Of course none of this changes the basic story. We could dress the characters in medieval costume or Welsh national dress, we could use a helicopter in place of a donkey, or a space ship instead of a camel. We could set the story to music; we could rewrite it in rhyming couplets. We can hear the story at our Grandma s knee, in school, in church, on the radio, or television. None of this is important because what never changes is the basic message behind the story; that God sent His only son into a dark world to bring light and love to mankind. The candle you were given when you came in to church this evening is a symbol of that light and love. The candles will be lit during the singing of our final carol and then we will hear the story as it appears in the beautiful first verses of St John s gospel. When you leave the church please take the candle with you take with you the symbol of light and love out into the darkness of our world.

12 Isaiah 9, 2 7. The Coming of the Messiah is Foretold The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

13 The Birth of Jesus Foretold. Luke 1, In the sixth month of Elizabeth s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you. Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end. How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail. I am the Lord s servant, Mary answered. May your word to me be fulfilled. Then the angel left her.

14 The birth of Jesus. Luke 2, 1-7 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

15 The Shepherds Visit. Luke 2, 8-20 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

16 The Magi Visit the Messiah. Matthew 2, 1-12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. In Bethlehem in Judea, they replied, for this is what the prophet has written: But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

17 The Word became flesh John 1, 1-12 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.