Christmas Day 2014. Sermon preached by the Dean of Hereford at Choral Matins.
Sydney Carter, writer of the hymns, When I needed a neighbour and Lord of the Dance was
a warm, human exponent of the Christian faith. They say he used to write his hymns with a row of
gin & tonics lined up on the piano.....
We’ll be singing another of his hymns after this sermon. To me, it’s important among hundreds of
Christmas carols and hymns. I know of no other that suggest that the Incarnation of Christ may not be
unique. There I’ve said it. Isn’t that a terrible heresy? Honest to God stuff? Not really – but what
the carol is saying is that in our boundless universe with its trillions of stars and planets, there may
well be other showings of the Incarnate Christ. Bethlehem is vital, of course, but perhaps it’s not the
whole story? Look at verse three.....
Who can tell what other cradle
High above the Milky Way
Still may rock the king of heaven
On another Christmas Day
Well, we don’t know and that’s the whole point – the hymn acknowledges this and asks us to be
humble in the face of our lack of knowledge. But there is more. The hymn asks us to put the
Incarnation of Christ onto a cosmic level. 90% of our carols – at least the religious ones – will be
concerned with Bethlehem and the babe born in a manger – and that’s fine.
This carol asks us to think bigger. You see, so often the Incarnation of Christ has been presented as a
doctrine to beat ourselves with. Take it or leave it. Doctrine is so often like that – it can be a hardedged commodity. But so often, doctrine has behind it something really exciting and generous – but
sadly, so often the Church has narrowed its message mercilessly – it has even shed blood over it.
You see the birth of Christ is not just good news for those within the confines of the church – but it is
wonderful news for the whole human race. All human beings who have ever lived or will ever live
can claim blood relationship with the Son of God.
God so loved the world that he gave his only son. In Christ, God was reconciling the world to
himself.
Faith is not about being in or out in our relationship with God – it is a dawning wonder that God
changed our relationship with him – and while we weren’t even looking!
The carol puts it well –
When the king of all creation
Had a cradle on the earth
Holy was the human body
Holy was the human birth
Not holy are the saved – not holy are the baptized – not holy those who go to church but holy was – is
– the human body.
Can we begin to see what this does to our understanding of our human race?
Let’s face it – there is much to be gloomy about when we consider the human race – we are capable of
evil so atrocious as to be unbelievable.
But we also know that we have a huge capacity for good – for compassion and generosity. It’s there.
The Incarnation goes beyond Bethlehem and tells us to have confidence again in that goodness
because the Incarnation is God’s vote of confidence in us – all of us.
Human nature has divine and eternal potential – it flourishes wherever goodness and love are to be
found:
Who can tell what other body
He may hallow for his own
I will praise the son of Mary
Brother of my blood and bone.
And can you see that all this says about other religious faiths?
If we truly believe that the image of God is in all human beings, then surely we must believe that
anyone may have insight into truth and goodness and we should expect to learn from all that is best in
the thought and lives of other men and women – whatever their creed or culture – whatever age in
which they lived. Christ-likeness is the key here – and Christ-likeness is not only found in the
Christian faith – it is found wherever we see the gospel values for which Jesus stood.
And that’s wonderful news for the world – and wonderful news for our stepping out together as
brothers and sisters.
When we begin to do this – then we can begin to appreciate our own difference and perceptions in
trust – not in a spirit of competition – but in a spirit of wonder
Every star and every planet
Every creature high and low
Come and praise the king of heaven
By whatever name you know.
So, this Christmas – enjoy the wonderful mystery of the babe at Bethlehem – give thanks for the way
in which that cosmic message has been communicated to us – but open up from there – see today’s
message as one for the whole human race – the whole universe. A message which proclaims that at
the heart of the universe is love – and that message can and must be put into action.
Alice Meynell, the 19th century writer, puts it so well, in this poem with which I end.
She imagines us all- one day – from many planets, many galaxies – joining in – comparing notes –
joyfully – about how we have been given grace to perceive the truth.
But in the eternities
Doubtless we shall compare together, hear
A million alien gospels, in what guise
He trod the Pleiades, the Lyre, the Bear,
Oh, be prepared my soul
To read the inconceivable, to scan
The infinite forms of God the stars unroll
When, in our turn, we show to them a man.