Christmas Cards 2023

A version of this material will form my 2023 Christmas Eve Sermon at St. Stephen’s, Summerland. 7 p.m. is you’re in the hood.

Everyone likes receiving Christmas cards—at least most people do. See my comments elsewhere. For many, the traditional Christmas card is now replaced by the annual newsletter—my own tend to go on a bit, as do some others. It is amazing however to see what folks get up to every twelve months or so. And it is great to be remembered, and to greet others in a similar spirit. I will argue below however that there is still a place for such cards, though we certainly need to move beyond the typical Hallmark style of pulp non-fiction greeting.

I did enjoy the image above shared by Archbishop Douglas Hambidge. Now well into his 90s he often posts items of historical and contemporary interest on social media including the lovely, stylized manger scene below. The components are all there—Holy family, animals, a star, and a manger setting—a slightly abstracted presentation of a familiar theme. Blessings to you Your Grace.

Riffing off the popular phrase “Peace on Earth” I read that “in 1949 Pablo Picasso drew, The Face of Peace (“Visage de la Paix”) for the World Peace Congress held that year in Paris. The following year he produced a collection of 29 drawings of The Face of Peace, of which the image below is one. The face has a free energetic style conveying both resolve and warmth/hope toward future peace. One might say that every age has to draw the Face of Peace for its time.” Amen to that.

Turning to the present moment, and an article from today’s New York Times  (sorry, you may hit a paywall) “in perhaps the most overt display of how Israel’s war in Gaza has dampened Christmas celebrations in the city of Bethlehem this year—seen as the birthplace of Jesus—a Lutheran church put up its crèche, but with a sad and symbolic twist. The baby Jesus — wrapped in a keffiyeh, the black-and-white checkered scarf that has become a badge of Palestinian identity — is lying not in a makeshift cradle of hay and wood. Instead, he lies among the rubble of broken bricks, stones and tiles that represent so much of Gaza’s destruction.” You might spend some time with this poignant image.

In a similar vein, “artist Kelly Latimore of Kelly Latimore Icons has created a new icon, “Christ in the Rubble,” which illustrates the prophetic message that if Jesus were born today, he would be born “under the rubble.“ Kelly wants his art to be a ‘holy pondering’—a process that potentially brings about a new way of seeing.” The artist continues: “How can we shape a culture of Christianity where love truly has no boundaries? How do we create a world where our poor, homeless, refugee, Palestinian Savior—born to a teenage mother and later condemned to death—would be cherished had he been born today.” Good question!

There is arguably no stronger image than the “Madonna and Child,” presented here in two settings, each a powerful statement of the mother-child relationship, and of the collision between heaven and earth in the incarnation of God in the child Jesus.

OK, enter dark, though profound, humour, with a salute to interfaith and intercultural shared experience. No longer does Santa look for a chimney; he now seeks a house, a community, even human life itself. Violence is violence; war is forbidden, even so-called “just” war. Look what happens when it breaks out.

Very much in the spirit of the first chapter of John’s Gospel, chapter 1, verse 4: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” We look for the light (and I cannot imagine how difficult this is for people in the Middle East presently). At this point, we turn to prayer, with hopes for peace, and for a peace-mindful and peace-motivated political and military leadership. There is work to be done, everywhere, by everyone.

OK, time for a Good News story, from right here in our little town of Summerland. This year, Betty-Ann Xenis, Neighbourlink chairperson asked Kathie Gray if she would like to help in constructing mug rugs to be tucked into the annual Santa Bags destined for those who find themselves alone or with no chance of receiving gifts of any kind. Mug rugs are small, quilted “placemats” which are just big enough for a mug and a snack. Each little mat takes at least one hour to make, so of course, making 100 …. Well, you do the math! A group has been working steadily for the past six weeks to get these little gems finished in time for bag delivery day! Photographer Ken suggested that we arrange the rugs in the shape of a Christmas tree hence the image included in this blog.

Riffing on this theme is a fellow-blogger Norma’s Christmas Tree made from, wait for it,  Christmas Cards. Very creative Norma. Check out Norma’s blogs here.

Which brings me to my final example, a lovely card sent from a photographer friend, an image (above) which combines well with a quote from, no less, Jimi Hendrix. (My team and I have absolutely no idea where in the name of purple haze Glen found this brilliant quote.) Indeed, evil is evidenced by power imbalances. Such was the case in Jesus’ day, and likewise for us today.

So well done if you have read this far. I likely come off as a seasonal killjoy, a pre-conversion Scrooge, or a theological Grinch. I continue to believe however, that the true miracle of Christmas shines forth amidst the atrocities of daily life. There is goodness about, and we continue to celebrate these gifts. We do so however, with eyes and hearts wide open. Happy Christmas to all. Ken

PS if you want to hear all this again, please join us tonight. Details below.