Today I want to tell you a story about the Christmas story. I expect all of us know the Christmas story, but do you ever stop to think about how that story got to us? I think you probably know some of the words of of the song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” The song starts with the wind whispering to a lamb:
“Do you see what I see Way up in the sky little lamb Do you see what I see A star, a star Dancing in the night With a tail as big as a kite.”
The lamb then tells the shepherd, the shepherd tells the king and the king tells everyone! His message is that Christ is born!
Mary and Joseph know what’s going on because an angel told them – that’s rather like the wind whispering to you. The angels also told the shepherds who came to see. Later on there were thee wise men, or maybe kings who heard about Jesus somehow and came following the light of a star!
You see there is only this handful of people who knew what was really happening in that little stable in Bethlehem. We don’t really hear much about Jesus as a child, but then Jesus’ story gets interesting! More people hear about Jesus as a teacher and healer, they tell their friends and neighbours, who tell their friends and their neighbours. The word of God is spread all over the world now, churches spring up everywhere, books are written, songs are written, there are paintings and sculptures made, plays are performed, people are fed, baptised, blessed with God’s Word all over the world and this has been happening for about 2000 years.
How did it all start? It all started with an angel telling people to “Come and see.” Jesus, give us the courage to tell the story, and to invite others to “come and see”!
May God richly bless you all. May your celebration of His Holy Birth inspire and unite us into one family of Faith!
May the Light that is Christ shine upon you, and the peace of the Christ Child be yours this Christmas. Fr.Rory and I, wish you all a happy and holy Christmas, and may God bless everyone here, your families and your friends. Amen.