Thinking about the Christmas story this year, I was drawn to some of those wonderful words spoken to meek Mary as she held the baby Jesus in her new-mom arms:
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many…and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Hmm, all those words weren’t so wonderful, were they? Spoken against? …A sword shall pierce your own soul too? Not exactly what you want to hear at the baby shower. What a shiver that must have sent through Mary and Joseph! As I pondered this prophecy, I was reminded of just how much conflict and crisis surrounds our Noel narrative.
Of course, Mary - and we - are promised marvelous, sparkling Christmas-given glories like:
“Good news of great joy that will be for all the people!”
“…Salvation through the forgiveness of [our] sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
“…a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel”
Naturally, we love the tender & sparkling details - angel choirs, starlight guidance, mystic visitors with exotic gifts; that sweet little manger (wait a tick - those of you who have been around real barnyards and animals and mucked out their mangers know that this maybe wasn’t the sweetest smelling scene!) But these beautiful plot points and promises (to Mary and to us) also arrive with that ominous AND - “...and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” And we remember just how much conflict and crisis are mingled with the merry moments of the Christmas chronicle.
How ‘bout the anguish of near divorce (Matt. 1:19) and the searing scorn of future inlaws (Sure, Mary - it was a ‘miracle’!), or the trembling vulnerability of going into labor at night, outside in the chilly dark, with no doctors or clean sheets or modern medicine (Lk. 2:7)? How ‘bout the fact that this new mom & dad had to go on the run and leave the family farmland to flee further from a bloodthirsty tyrant who was trying to have their newborn baby killed? Conflict & crisis at Christmas! And of course that chilling word to Mary would ultimately be fulfilled for this mom as she later watched with a sword-pierced heart of anguish as rough men murdered her precious son by nailing him to a Roman cross.
Maybe you’re thinking, C’mon Hettick, ease up - this is supposed to be the Christmas Current! Where are the holiday rhymes and ginger and jingles and chestnuts and chimes? Well, those are cheery and good - like spiced cookies and ale - they're just not, just not…well, they’re just not the whole tale. God’s word - like that prophesy to mother Mary back at Christmas #1 - directs us through crisis, as well as through fun. And the grit and the grime - at least time-to-time - we need to hear and see and feel, because our muck and misery are just as close, just as real.
Perhaps, this year I was drawn to these difficult parts, because I see so many friends with pain in their hearts. Right now, some of our people are suffering in health, lamenting lost love, surviving lost wealth. We have brothers and sisters who are hurting and mad, with fractured families and faltering faith - some of us are quite broken and sad.
So let us see in Scripture this year - alongside bright tidings of blessing and cheer - the very real dangers and darkness and fear. Our Father of Christmas, our Savior of souls - holds his Light into the darkness - that’s just how he rolls. This light, our Lord Jesus, carries us through our dismal times. We know it, we sing it - just listen to our carol’d lines -
The weary world rejoices - for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. (sometimes feels far yonder!)
To save us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray…O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy.
Assurance of comfort means much to those wracked in the midst of crisis and pain. Let us read the rest of the Testament and see it again. From first Christmas onward the road has been steep and rocky and narrow through darkness that’s deep. From manger to mocking, it's always through danger that He shepherds his sheep.
Just read the first chapters of Peter and James of Job and of John. You’ll see our pain’s purpose, it shouldn’t take long. God’s purpose is clear, he’s making us strong. These verses have been to me lifegiving grace when the tears of the trials are staining my face.
So to all my hurting, haunted kindred friends, may Father Christmas soothe your soul to sleep, when you bring your conflicts and crises to the Christ who will keep, who will keep your hope burning through darkness that’s deep. It’s the secret of Christmas, it’s the secret of life - He came into our misery to save us through strife. This Christmas let’s raise a gingerbread cookie in the midst of our misery, our sadness or strife; we don’t suffer alone; Christ is with us - for Life.
Mary’s anguish was real, that’s clear and that’s true - but it’s in rugged suffering that Jesus says “Behold! I am making all things new.”
MERRY CHRISTMAS
-Nathan Hettick, TRA Chaplain and Secondary Teacher
