It's Christmas Eve - Reflection by Dean Sue

I guess I do not have to tell you that it is Christmas Eve, but I do wonder how people will celebrate Christmas this year. For many they will find it difficult to celebrate, having lost loves ones, either to the pandemic or to any number of other illnesses. For others they will find it difficult to celebrate having lost their jobs or their businesses because of COVID 19.
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Life is hard for many and unfortunately there is an expectation around us to have a fun packed Christmas. I know only too well, from my own life experience how difficult it can be to try and ‘celebrate’ Christmas when you have a sick family member with a terminal diagnosis. There are so many emotions that come to the fore. Memories of past Christmases and present sadness evoke strong emotions.

So this Christmas is going to be hard for so many people with so much loss all around. Many have talked about cancelling Christmas, but Christmas cannot be cancelled. Christmas is after all a religious festival, the festival when we Christians reflect on the significance of the birth of a tiny baby who was destined to change the world.

Jesus was not born into a perfect world. He was born into the darkness of a county occupied by a foreign force. He was born into a world of poverty and of dishonesty; a world of sickness and death. In many ways the world into which he was born is no different from our own world as we face another resurgence of the pandemic and as we face the reality of no longer being part of the European Union.

For us in the Northern hemisphere Christmas comes at the darkest point of the year. Being in the dark is not a good place to be, as we stumble around trying to find a light to be guided by. All of us have experienced darkness in our personal lives – disappointment, failure, sorrow, grief, broken dreams. We also live in a world darkened by greed, violence, tragedy and Covid. But the birth of Christ lights a lamp in our world. Christ is the great light and through his ministry we see light as Christ healed the sick, spoke out for the poor and brought to light the injustices of the world.

The light of Christ continues to shine in our world when we see little act of kindness, when we see the hungry fed through foodbanks, when people speak out for others, and when our world is healed from the ravishes of climate change.

It is Christmas Eve and tomorrow will be Christmas Day, the day when we celebrate the birth of the light of the world. However you celebrate, whether in the dark or in the light, remember that Christ is with you and remember that Liverpool Cathedral will continue to pray for you each day as we continue to walk together from the darkness of Covid to the light of a better world.
 
Heavenly Father we thank you for coming into our darkened world.
We remember before you all who have died from Covid and other illnesses.
We remember all who are living in the darkness of our Covid world.
Grant to them your light, peace and hope this Christmas.
We ask this through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. Amen

Dean Sue

While you're here:
Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html.