THOSE FAMILIAR CHRISTMAS THINGS

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON DECEMBER 23^rd, 2007

Isaiah 7:15 "The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold a virgin will conceive and bear a son, and shall call him Emmanuel."

On Thursday I got a new cell phone. This was because I changed my network. The disadvantage was that the previous day I had no phone contact in or out, and felt marooned and helpless! One parishioner patiently waited for a whole day for me to return their call! Some of you will know that experience.

A similar experience happened to me two years ago when my computer at home received a virus and I lost all my email addresses. I waited patiently for people to email me so that I could add them back into my address book. Each morning I would turn on my computer - eagerly anticipating another email from a long lost friend. I'm still waiting for some of them two Christmas' later!

Emails and cell phones enable us to be contacted instantly, and to reply instantly. We live in an age of instant communication - there is no need to wait anymore. That is the temper of our society. Sometimes of course, we reply to an email straight away - and as soon as we press the send button we realize that we should have rephrased that last sentence. Or perhaps not said it at all! What a contrast to these four Sundays of Advent that we have been keeping, which combine a spirit of watchfulness and anticipation with reflective waiting.

The season of Advent, with its emphasis on waiting, is a stark contrast to what is happening outside, as we pursue Christmas shopping, menus, gifts, etc at a fanatic pace. The season of Advent has invited us to be watchful and wait upon God - to wait with a hopeful heart, so that we may be receptive to the coming of Jesus.

This coming of Jesus was a climax to many years and centuries of waiting in hope by Israel. The prophet Isaiah had spoken of this centuries before: "A virgin will conceive and bear a son." And when the time came it was not what anyone was expecting. It was in the form of an unmarried teenager, whose fiancée wants to end their relationship. Fortunately, Joseph was an understanding partner. Both Mary and Joseph are visited by angels to reassure them that what is about to happen is of God - and is in fact Good News. "Rejoice" says the Archangel to Mary. "Fear not" says the angel to Joseph. And in this unfamiliar territory, in these uncharted waters, they both make the leap of faith. They both respond in faith. And the Word is made flesh and dwells among us.

All the watchfulness of Israel in the Old Testament, led to something unexpected, unfamiliar, and uncharted. By contrast, our Advent does not lead to something unexpected or unfamiliar. We know what's going to happen. Each year at this time we rejoice in the familiar:

+ the sending of cards and perhaps the annual Christmas letter.

+ the buying of gifts and the eager anticipation of receiving some

+ the planning of meals and the drawing up of a dinner guests list

+ the decoration of our homes

+ and, of course, the Christmas trees.

And we've done that here at All Saints' too. Already on this Sunday the Church is bearing the marks of Christmas decorations - poinsettias, wreaths, ribbons. And now the tree awaits us at the back of the Church for the coming of the stable and the Christmas Creche.

All these familiar things give us joy, and are usually a lot of fun. Everyone does it - it's the American culture even for those who won't be in Church to celebrate the birth of Christ. And we do it despite what political correctness, grinches and scrooges say. These lovely Christmas things do help us to honor Jesus - for in the joy and the fun, these familiar things lead us to that event which is also familiar - which is so familiar, but which is also always new.

The Christmas feast is part of our lives, and each year it brings with us the hope of new things. That there will be new hope; there will be anticipation of better things to come. Therefore as part of our parish preparation on this fourth Sunday of Advent, the children of our Sunday school have prepared their own Christmas decorations to put on the Christmas tree at the back of the Church. We now stand and welcome as they decorate our Christmas tree.

The sermon concluded with the children decorating the tree which will be part of the Christmas Creche.