The Best Gift of All

60 Second Spoken Word Sermon / BBC Sussex / 9th Dec 2018

Available to listen again at BBC Radio Sussex – I’m on from about 1.41 and sermon at 1.55.

The first door opens wide,

excited carboard tearing, to a tiny, shiny, chocolate Santa inside,

and a season begins of incessant swarming busyness,

tinsel shrouded minds and mulled wine fuelled silliness.

‘Fairytale of New York’ blasting with tinny affection

through our overloaded trolleys – bursting with garish glittery confection.

Parties fostering regret and aspirin required preparation,

filling our hearts with unrequited dark decoration.

But somewhere amongst all this festive occupation

is a lingering sense of a long lost once known oblation;

Of a light in the dark, not in sparkling Christmas twinkle,

but in a flame that might grow if we dare offer it a room to kindle.

An astronomical sign bursting forth in the heavens:

a new life, a tender flame in our lives, in our hearts, making its, his, dwelling.

From chaotic consumer stumbling in the dark,

offering us peace in the season, light, and hope that might lift us apart –

dawning into holy celebration,

joining with the angels song in glorious anticipation, of:

the best gift of all, at no cost to us, no shopping trolley in sight:

simply, The Word forming new life.