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The Rt Revd Ken Good's Christmas message 2006
The wonder of it all
One of the Christmas cards we have received through our door conveyed the greeting, ?May you have a wonder-filled Christmas?. A rediscovered sense of spiritual wonder is an important part of what I wish for us all this Christmas.
As young children, being captivated by a tangible sense of awe, of mystery and of Christmas-wonder came quite naturally to us. That sense of anticipation and excitement, the amazement and surprise at so many aspects of the Christmas event were vivid and palpable.
I remain convinced, however, that as adults now, buffeted though we may be by the knocks and challenges which the years have brought, to rediscover a deeper sense of wonder at the heart of Christmas is something that is life enhancing. Wonder at God?s desire to get involved in this complex and confusing world, wonder at his readiness to engage with our daily struggles, wonder at his willingness to travel with us in the social and political turmoil in which we often find ourselves. Our existence is not pointless, our lives are not hollow and meaningless. God became flesh and is committed to being with us; that is the wonder of it all..
In St Columb?s Cathedral on Sunday night, as we listened again to the Christmas event being recounted in word and music, something of that wonder was stirred in me yet again, and I became aware that the truth which lies behind this Christmas wonder is better than anything that can be bought or sold in any shopping frenzy.
In one of her poems, Edith Forrest refers to the sadness of feeling a ?hollowness at the heart of Christmas?, caused by disillusionment with life. But she goes on to contrast this hollowness with the richness of bringing ?from the depths of thankfulness our adoration to Christ our King.?
My hope for all of us this Christmas is that the wonder of what happened at that unique birth in Bethlehem may recapture our hearts and imaginations, and that any lingering sense of hollowness may be replaced by an adoration that springs from the depths of thankfulness.
Further information from the Derry & Raphoe Diocesan Communications Officer, Revd Sam Barton, Tel: +353 (0)74 936 1154