In the early days of the protests outside St Paul’s Cathedral one
of the participants being interviewed for the BBC news posed the
question ‘Where would Jesus be born today – in that building (pointing
at St Paul’s) or out here on the street? The way he put the question
made it quite obvious that for him the answer was that Jesus would have
indeed been born outside with the protesters and not in the cathedral.
In other words he would be mainly concerned not with what went on in
churches but with those representing the poor and distressed.
As we approach Christmas this question is a challenge to us. Our Lord
was indeed born ‘outside’ in a cattle shed or a cave. St Luke tells us
that this was because there was literally ‘no room at the inn’,
everywhere was fully booked up (I wonder if the inns of Jesus’ time
displayed the equivalent of the Llandudno B&B’s ‘no vacancies’
sign!) However, despite this very practical reason why Our Lord
was born in such an unusual place it has also often been seen as a
powerful symbol of Christ’s identification with the poor and those
regarded as outcasts and sinners.
This concern was certainly a central part of Our Lord’s later ministry
when he often ate and drank with ‘tax collectors and sinners’ and
showed deep compassion to those, such as lepers, who were considered as
outcasts. We have to conclude that he continues to have such concerns
for those who in our own society are the equivalents of those he spent
so much time with when he was on earth.
But who might these people be? We might all have our own ideas as about
this, but I suggest the following might well be included among them:
the homeless and those with alcohol or drug problems; single parents on
state benefits; young people trafficked to our country for the sex
industry; refugees etc, there are unfortunately many candidates for
inclusion on this list. If Christ is concerned with them so, it
obviously follows, should we who claim to be his followers.
How we care for them is of course a matter for debate. As a parish we
are involved in care for the homeless through the Cytûn sandwich
scheme and through the participation of several of our members in the
ARC drop-in centre in town. We also participate in the Conwy Food-share
scheme which helps those who are really struggling with donations of
food and other basic items. No doubt many of our parishioners are
involved in care for the disadvantaged in other ways too. There may be
situations where we need to go further than simply caring for them in
these ways but actually take political actions of some kind or join
protests. Of course the reason that people get into situations of
deprivation and suffering are often quite complex – there are sometimes
no easy solutions. But the fundamental point is to agree with the
protester who said Jesus would be born on the street to this extent –
that we know he is concerned with the plight of the disadvantaged.
But I wouldn’t go on to agree with the protester when he said that
Jesus would be born on the street rather than in the church. Surely he
would be ‘born’ in both places. He is deeply concerned with the poor
but also with those who are trying their best to be his faithful people
through worship and mission. At the very end of St Matthew’s Gospel the
risen Christ promises to be with his people ‘to the end of time’. If we
truly believe this promise we will trust him to be present with us in
word and sacrament as we worship at Christmas and throughout the
year.
So at Christmas when we gather to worship the Christ born out in the
cattle shed, the Word made Flesh we will know him to be with us but we
will also know that he expects us to go on caring and serving those who
continue to need our love and help in all sorts of ways.
On behalf of all at the rectory may I wish you all a very blessed and
joyful Christ-mass.
