Address by the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
the Right Reverend P. Colton,
on Christmas morning
in St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…" [Hebrews 1.1a and 2a]

A Child's Christmas

At a Christmas Concert I attended last week the Master of Ceremonies said "Christmas is a lovely time for Children. It's a shame to have to grow up!"

"A time for the children!" How often we hear this said. . A world of fun and frolicking, games and gifts, laughter and light-heartedness for many children indeed, but, of course, by no means all. A child's celebration of the birthday of a saviour child - the baby Jesus -- who is God with us.

And many adults feel that their world of Christmas celebration comes to an end once the children have grown up.

At one level the stories of the birth of Jesus - two of them, one told by Saint Matthew, and the other by Saint Luke - encourage this child-centredness. It's all about a pregnant woman, a manger cradle, adoring parents, romantic nappies (if that's not a contradiction in terms), admiring shepherds, reverent sages, all gathered in a cosy stable, straw-scented warmth in a friendly village, underneath a sparkling star. This familiar scene, enhanced over the years with tinsel and glitter, with cosy candlelight, and excited, young tea-towelled heads, is indeed a wonderful introduction of the Christian faith to the children.

The problem is that most of us, as adults, have never grown out of this, almost magical, nearly Pantomime, Christmas picture. With the children we are trapped in adoration of a baby Jesus. And the reality is that the gospels confront us with an adult Christ. Deliberately!

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

said the writer to the Hebrews.

Hasn't it the ring of another children's story? - "Long ago…" or "Once upon a time…" even. Yes God, spoke to us then, "…but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son…" In these last days, today even, and not just to the children, but to us in our adulthood too.

An Adult Faith

The stories of the birth of Jesus were among the last parts of the gospels to be written. So, Matthew and Luke were writing with full-knowledge of, and through the spectacles of the events of Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter.

When they wrote their Christmas story they clearly wanted to say something about the Christ who was crucified, and who rose from the dead - for us. There's an Easter ring about the Christmas story.

The poet John Donne put it this way:

"The whole life of Christ was a continual passion...His birth and his death were but one continual act, and his Christmas Day and his Good Friday are but the morning and evening of the same day."

As adults we are confronted with an adult Christ at Christmas.

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

Take the gifts of the three astronomers or wise men: gold for a king; frankincense - a costly and fragrant offering of worship to a God, myrrh - the bitterness of suffering and agony, the balm for anointing a body - a crucified body.

The painting The Christ Childe Resting on the Cross by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo which featured in the National Gallery of London's Millennium exhibition Seeing Salvation makes this very point too. Alluding the future sacrifice, the new born baby lies asleep , a large cross underneath him and his arm resting on a skull. Good theology!

Then of course, the caring ministry of the adult Jesus to the poor and needy is anticipated in his own humble beginnings - born in an occupied country, under oppression, to unmarried parents in the most ghastly conditions of poverty, and having to flee to Egypt as refugees. This is hardly a straw-scented crib scene - more the animal dung of an outhouse.

Meeting an Adult Christ

As adults we come face to face with this adult Christ and it's not enough to immerse and lose ourselves exclusively in the children's world - that's their privilege. We are not afforded the luxury of simply saturating ourselves with the saccharin sentimentality of the season.

We have to react to the adult Christ we meet and to sing to that Lord a new song, for he has done, marvellous things (Psalm 98).

"…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

So even on Christmas Day we are here to celebrate the birth at Bethlehem, and more than that, to ask its meaning for us, for the Church, and for the world - an adult world.

As in the day of Isaiah's vision, Christmas Day is the day of a messenger. He hurries across the desert and, out of breath announces, "Your God is King! (Isaiah 52.7b) - a message of peace, good news and salvation. Yes, God, returns to his people, to his holy city and chooses to live with them forever. They too, even the sentries, break into a new song.

But let's be clear. That messenger came to a ruined city, Nehemiah says it's wall were broken, the doors defeated, the streets broken up, people dishevelled, despondent and despairing - yes, truly a fearful and vulnerable place.

The miracle of Christmas is that the God who transcends all things, in the baby of the stable of Bethlehem comes to your and my vulnerable and fearful place.

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

The child is truly an adult Christ of an adult world as well. We have to grow up in this faith and life.

Ireland has become more "adult" and grown up

As churches and as a nation in Ireland we've done a lot of "growing up" rapidly and sometimes very painfully in very few years. It's like a journey to adulthood. But we have more "growing up" to do as a people:

• more coming to terms with the variety of humanity around us.
• more embracing the stranger.
• more inclusive of the person, who in our view is different.
• more affirming of many minorities.
• and ever more pluralist.

Churches need to be more "grown up"

The churches have to grow into more mature relationship with one another. Our partnership has made immense progress, but in many places is still only in its infancy. An adult partnership would involve a greater sharing of resources, pooling of ministries, more practical cooperation, and an interchange of roles and services.

The vulnerable at Christmas

We cannot be remote either from the realities of our society. Christmas doesn't magic away the harsh realities of human living: if anything it highlights them. Many people in our society feel vulnerable: those who are ill and dying, and their loved ones; those alone and insecure; people confused and unsure about the future. . Parents, like myself feel vulnerable We want to cling to the State's assurance about Polio Vaccines, but on the track record in other areas we wonder, in ignorance perhaps, what "zero risk" actually means. Then there are sixth year students at schools who feel vulnerable, so do teachers, Taxi drivers, train drivers, employers… and all of us feel unsure about the risks of spiralling inflation.

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

Homelessness - "No Vacancies"

Here in Cork, on my recent visit, the Director of Cork Simon Community told me that in 1999 in our city there was a 40% increase - 1094 - people admitted to short-term or crisis accommodation. Last year the number of people refused beds due to full occupancy rose from 338 to 1047. There is a new generation of homeless people - more younger people under 25 and most between 26 and 35. Here is one shocking reality, for example, - homelessness - that must challenge. Is Christmas itself not the story of "No Vacancies"?

The Vulnerable Baby of Christmas

The good news of Christmas is that the vulnerable baby of Bethlehem embraces all our vulnerabilities. We, his followers, in our own vulnerable humanity, by word and action, by policy and politics, by attitude and campaign, by choices and spending power can indeed make the difference that makes him known as the one who brings comfort and liberation.

This Christmas Day we put a baby figure in a crib scene. But the stupendous mystery rhapsodised in all our readings today, especially in Saint John's great Hymn to Christ is that that baby was God himself - emptying himself and making himself vulnerable.

"The word became flesh and lived among us…" (John 1.14)

When we look at him, we see "…the reflection of God's glory..", "…the exact imprint of God's very being". (Hebrews 1.3)

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

The Challenge to Us

How do we react to him?

It all depends, doesn't it, on whether or not, we can grasp the significance and truth of what Saint John was getting at when he proclaimed "...the Word was made flesh...". Our response hinges on whether we see here the adult Jesus who is God who came to live for a while among us. God has made himself present to us as one who walked this earth. He was so truly present that this baby, Jesus, was his Son. This revelation, friends, is salvation to those who have the eyes to see it.

"Long ago God spoke to our ancestors…in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,…"

And God does choose and use the most unlikely situations and events to come to make himself known and to make a difference - a peasant girl, a carpenter, an occupied buffer state in the Middle-East, hardy shepherds, three foreigners - and today - the person beside you, perhaps you yourself, and even, Bread and Wine.