Christmas means many things to many people. It speaks about love, hope, joy and peace. It speaks about good will, family, feasts and fun. There are many words to describe this celebration, which is marked by religious and non-religious people alike.
But one of the most relevant messages of the birth of Christ contained in the scriptures is a simple phrase which keeps showing up: “Do not be afraid.”
“Do not be afraid,” the angel said to the teenaged Mary when she is told that she will bear the long awaited Anointed One of God.
“Do not be afraid,” Joseph is told in a dream when he is instructed to take Mary as his wife and endure the scandal of a pregnancy before their marriage.
“Do not be afraid,” the angels said to the shepherds in the hills of Bethlehem, when the birth of Jesus is announced to them.
In a modern Canada that is filled with more things than we could ever buy or imagine, in a country that has more advantages than most in the world, fear is still one of our major challenges.
In 2015 many are fearful of terrorist violence in the world. Many are fearful of losing their jobs, or not finding a job after having been laid off. Others are fearful of providing for their family. And still others are fearful of getting older, living with a terrifying illness, or finding themselves alone in life.
There are many things in life that we face which we can deal with by working harder, changing our life or just doing things. So for example if I am overweight I can go on a diet, even if it is hard to do. If I am out of shape, I can begin an exercise program. If I lose a job, maybe I can go back to school or maybe I can move to a different community to find different work. There are things I can do. But fear touches us so deeply, that it often paralyzes us from being able to do anything.
Fear is about the things that are and the things that might be. We might be afraid of something in the present, such as where will I get the money to pay my power bill. But fear can also be about things that are not in the present or easy to fix, such as the fear of growing older, being alone, or living a life that has no meaning or purpose.
When we remember the Christmas story, we are caught up in the beautiful scene of a baby born in a manger to a poor young couple named Mary and Joseph, in a land far away and long ago. We can get caught up in the sentiment of love and hope that a child brings to all families.
But the meaning behind the nativity scenes we place in our churches, our homes and in our communities is that in this Child, a powerful gift has been given by the Creator of our world. And the gift is the assurance that we are not alone in this life – God is with us. We are given the gift that says life can be meaningful and filled with purpose. Jesus demonstrated the power of this gift of love from God in the things he taught and in the things He did. For Christians we believe this power of Christ continues to be at work in the world even today, and through our faith in Christ’s continuing presence and through our willingness to embrace and live His way of love and life, we find a hope and a purpose, a love and a strength, a peace and a joy that pushes fear out of life.
So whenever you are afraid of being alone, forgotten or unloved, remember the Child of Bethlehem who is the Love of God become flesh. Remember the Child of Bethlehem who grew up to be the Man who demonstrated a powerful truth which says “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ our Lord.”
This Christmas enjoy the celebration whatever that looks like for you, but also embrace the promise of God’s love revealed in Jesus for all of us, and let the message of the angels become real in your life: “Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news, which will bring great joy to all people. This very day in David’s city, your Saviour was born – Christ the Lord!”
