Words for Worship

Ministry Today

It is the job of postcards

to make even

the most ugly places

appear attractive.

 

This also seems

often to be

the role of Christmas

as well.

 

Take this account

by Douglas Dicks

of the ugly realities

of modern Bethlehem

made beautiful

by Christ’s spirit.

I have been in

the homes of both

the rich and poor

in Bethlehem.

 

I have been in

the merchants’ mansions

and I have sat

in the homes of people

who barely have

a door to close

against the cold,

damp winters

of the Judean hills.

 

Yet here in this tiny town,

one can still find

a Christian faith

alive and well,

living and breathing

in the lives of

Arab Christians

who make Bethlehem

their home.

 

Despite the difficulties

of life in this city,

I have found people

as dedicated

to their faith

as anyone

could hope to find.

 

Regardless of the tragedies,

difficulties and obstacles

that have beset them,

the people of Bethlehem

have somehow maintained

a glimmer of hope

in the midst of hopelessness;

joy in the face of despair;

and dignity

in a part of the world

that has denied them

recognition for so long.

When I was a child,

Bethlehem was a place

that existed only

in beautifully illustrated pictures

of Bible story books-

a place that existed

far away

and only reflected upon

every year

on the 25th December.

 

But here in modern Bethlehem,

the miracle of that

first Christmas

is remembered

every day of the year.  

 

Because here,

in a place

that could offer

no room

for the Christ Child,

I have found both

the room and acceptance

from a people

who live daily

the message

brought to earth

2000 years ago.

 

In this account then

of a home in Bethlehem

we do see

the harsh realities

of Christmas present.  

 

Yet in its shadows

we also see the ghosts

of Christmas past and future.

 

 

For Christmas past,

says to each

of its inhabitants –

let the Christmas spirit

go free.

 

Let the spirit of Christ

venture abroad again.

 

Let the peace of God

fill your community today.

 

For then enemies

will reach out

to one another

nd call them friend.

 

And if even

for a few days only,

one human grasps another

in companionship

then they may just do so

for the rest of the year.

 

Indeed they may,

despite their considerable differences,

join each other afresh

in no-man's-land

and there declare

a more permanent victory

for hope.

Also Christmas future

has a message for us too

in this deeply fragmented world

that is typified

by Bethlehem’s situation.

 

And it is this!

 

 Imagine for a moment

seeing the world

as if from space.

 

See its fragility,

its vulnerability

and its intense beauty.

 

Even more importantly,

see there are

no national boundaries,

no racial divides

and no religious compartments.

 

Then in the spirit of Christmas

let us strive to banish

all the divisive prejudices

of Christmas present.  

 

Let us reach out

to each other

in the generous tolerance

that we wish

to enjoy ourselves.

 

 And let us dream

that we have

a harmonious home

together in God’s universe.

But in the end,

that better reality

can only come

from inner space

rather than outer space.

 

The space we make

In our hearts for

our fellow travellers,

our fellow revellers

and our fellow combatants.

 

The space we make

in our hearts

for fragile and vulnerable others

made beautiful

in Christ.

 

The space we must make now

for the hopeful word

that is

God with us;

the forgiving word

that is all

our new beginnings

and the reconciling word

that is

our ever open

ever welcome

and ever present –

Christmas present.

 

Let us now reflect on

what we will make

of our lives

in this Christmas present.

 

 

 

Home in Bethlehem