Sorrowing

‘A sword will pierce your own soul too’ (Luke 2: 35)

One of the problems (so it seems to me) of contemporary Christmas celebrations is the pressure put on folks to adopt an air of joy and merriment, no matter what they are feeling, experiencing or facing. It is a kind of enforced jollity, and sometimes those who do not (or cannot) comply are accused of being Grinches or Scrooges.

Not that there is anything at all wrong with celebration or even occasional frivolity! I am looking forward to the silliness of family games after dinner on Christmas Day, the Christmas Cracker jokes and silly hats, the ludicrous Christmas jumpers[i] and so much more.

But spare a thought for those who are not able to wholeheartedly join in the frivolous fun, superficial silliness or manufactured merriment; the recently bereaved, those facing mental health challenges, the families or relationships where there is tension or brokenness and so on and on.

Not surprisingly (and not unreasonably!) at Christmas time in church and worship we tend to focus on the joy of the season – and it is joyful! ‘Joy to the world’, ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all’, etc.

But the Gospel narratives contain other threads. A few days ago  I mentioned the reality of fear and anxiety that repeatedly appears in the Nativity story (‘Worrying’ posted on 9^th December). But there is sorrow too. The dreadful actions by King Herod in massacring the infants of Bethlehem is an horrific act recounted by Matthew who quotes from the Prophet Jeremiah ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are no more’ (Matthew 2: 18).

Sorrow... deep sorrow.

And when Mary and Joseph take the infant Jesus to the Temple according to Luke’s account, the elderly Simeon foresees what lies ahead for Jesus, and for Mary. He says to her ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too’ as indeed it will as she lives to see her Son crucified.

Sorrow... deep sorrow.

So let us not forget that the Gospel accounts include such sorrow, and in our rush to prematurely anticipate Christmas (or – once it is past – prematurely move on from it!) let us not ignore these strands in the Incarnation story.

Let us not forget that there are those who cannot so easily engage on all the festive fun and frivolity of others because they are sorrowing... deeply sorrowing.

And let us not forget that when we or they are sorrowing, there is one who is with us and who knows what and how we feel; Emmanuel, God with us.

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[i] Just for the avoidance of doubt, and in case you are thinking of questioning my eco-friendly credentials, I do not buy a new Christmas jumper, but wear one of the few I have that were bought many years ago!