So why do we bother? Why do we come to church on Christmas Eve, or any other day of the year? When we could be snuggled up at home, or feasting with family, or reading a good book, or enjoying a favourite Christmas movie?
Yet, here we are – gathered on this sacred night to worship. We are unique in some ways. Many in our society have abandoned the Christ in Christmas, and still celebrate with gift-giving and parties, and big meals with family and friends. The sparkling lights of many colours decorating homes, streets and businesses are a delight in this season. News comes from friends and family far away in Christmas cards. A shopping frenzy marks the last weeks before Christmas. But, more and more, there is no sign of Jesus in any of these – not on the Christmas cards available for purchase or in the stories told around the season.
Some of this is good, in that it recognizes that there are many faiths and many festivals of light celebrated in our country. Hanukkah, the Jewish festival was celebrated from December 12 to 20 this year. Diwali, the Hindu and Sikh festival of lights, was celebrated in October. Kwanzaa is celebrated by African-Americans for eight days, starting December 26. At the beginning of this month, our Muslim neighbours celebrated Eid-e-Milad, the birthday of the prophet Mohammed. So, some of the reason that we don’t see Jesus in all of the celebrations is simply that other faiths are celebrating their reasons for the season. And that diversity adds to the richness of spirituality in this country.
But more and more, Christmas is becoming a secular holiday, devoid of faith and the story of Jesus’ birth. People happily put up trees, count down with Advent calendars, and buy gifts at this time of year, as something quite separate from what we do here this evening.
So why do we bother? We bother because there is something profound, something mystical, something for which our spirits yearn, found in the story of Jesus. In a barn, some 2,000 years ago, a child was born, who was named, “God with us.” And in this child we find something that the world can not offer us. We find hope that transcends tragedy, peace that transcends chaos, joy that transcends grief, and love that transcends the judgement of the world.