St Peters RC Church Hamilton

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,

You are so very lovely!

How well you sit in my memory,

From first glance when I was tiny.

Until Christmas day you had been hidden away.

Decorated by my presents so lovingly,

What a surprise awaited me

As the lounge door was opened on Christmas Day.

My mind’s eye sees the tree now,

Towering tall above me

Adorned from tip to base most decoratively.

The angel on the top looked down.

I looked up expectantly,

Then beneath, under the tree, a question was answered

Had Santa been as promised previously?

He had and most generously!

But really my attention was taken

For quite a long while by the tree’s style.

The pine branches smelled of forest deliciously.

The outstretched arms bedecked with jewels,

They sparkled like crystals.

And never before had I seen

An amount of opulent finery,

Shining silver and glowing gold a-plenty,

With beads which looked precious,

Glinting in the soft twinkling fair lights,

Tinsel shimmered and shone brightly.

What did all this mean?

Was I awake or in a dream?

Was the scene too good to be true?

Now, as an adult, I know that certainly

Christmas has a deeper, fuller, richer meaning

Than anybody could actually imagine or even ask for.

The Lord God, our all loving Father of eternity,

Took it upon Himself to show His love and mercy

In an utterly, profoundly extraordinary way.

Opened out before us but only when we pray,

Asking for faith and wise understanding.

Revelation, realisation of who the Christ Child

Born to Mary in a stable, amidst mankind’s poverty,

Actually means to us at Christmas and forever beyond.

The Brother born to us is our Saviour,

Come to re-establish friendship between God and us.

This is more valuable than even a beautifully decorated tree.

We glimpse the hope, peace and joy,

Freely gifted us that very First Christmas.

Love beyond all we count as precious,

Love that does amount to our safe security

In the company of the Holy Trinity daily,

Come to us at Christmas, to never, ever leave us!

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,

How lovely you are, but only temporarily.

Yet when I understand the birth of the Lord Jesus,

And all this actually means to us,

Then I know not a fleeting, passing happiness, nothing shallow,

But a real gladness arising out of a sense of belonging.

Belonging to God’s family because Jesus did this for me!

Now when I decorate a tree, finally placing an angel on the top,

I think of that holy night, that heavenly sight,

When an angel throng, in song, appeared to working shepherds,

Telling them to hurry along to Bethlehem,

There, where they beheld the Baby born to Mary,

They saw believed and joyously worshipped.

Oh that it will be the same joy for us, come Christmas!

O Lord, so many people have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. There is no sense of awe then, nor wonder, nor rightful praise offered. This is sad. I ask for a turn around, an increase in faith, a renewal and

revival.

May there have been sufficient prayers offered during Advent, to make a revival possible. For there is no greater news on earth to ever be heard and believed in, than that of the birth of our Saviour.

The significance of Christmas must not go on being neglected nor diminished, nor reduced to merely being a winter festival, nor an excuse for a party. I am sorry where this happens. Forgive us, Lord. Amen.

CHRISTMAS

JOY