Lama's log

My son was non too pleased that I took the tree down on the 1st Jan.
'Is Christmas over then?' he said
'Errmm no, actually we have 12 days of Christmas.'
'Then why is the tree down?'

The following conversation about a season of Advent and a Christmas season was lost on him. All he knew was that he'd been cheated out of a bit of Christmas.

This was in my head as I've sat down to plan tomorrow evening's sermon on the Epiphany. My head is still in festivities (especially since I've just come from a really rather wonderful Epiphany breakfast with bubbly and every kind of wondrous food). I am reeling from the excess and reveling in the celebration.

So I sit down and read about the journey of the wise men feeling all nativity scene esque. I am wondering what to do with this passage and then remember some distant teaching that the wise men were really just soothsayers and it's not quite as glam as it is made out to be in the church propaganda. That it was some ancient monk who gave the magi their names and that they were probably to be derided not applauded and that OT biblical teaching is against them not for them. Suddenly I have my sermon. Matthew's on another shock session hurrah and there's much to be said about who the gospel story includes and that will probably be our epiphany if we choose to take it seriously. Great, sermon on the way.

What about Christmas though? I took the tree down. For all the guff I gave my son about the reasons why and my blathering over seasons and times, I think it would be true to say that somewhere on rout I lost the rhythm of Christmas. Advent was the Christmas season rather than just the preparation. Christmas was the day and not the birth; the incarnation; the journey. As I reflect on how Christmas was for me I realise with a touch of regret that there was just one occasion, when I sat in Wakefield Cathedral with a friend, that I allowed the enormity of Christ incarnate to enfold me and thus prompt me into gut wrenching, heart tearing prayer for any and all.

So with this epiphany upon me I would like with all sincerity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank God for the miracle of Jesus Christ.