A parade on its way to Christmas 2018
It is almost Christmas 2018. All over the world long parades of people are setting themselves in motion in the direction of the stable
because nobody wants to miss the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
At the head of the line the well-known leaders of this world, e.g. Poetin and Trump, are walking. They draw the attention because they are loudly proclaiming that they know the right way and they are walking with long strides (and a loud mouth once in a while) ahead of the parade.
That is why they are missing out on the fact that they are heading in the wrong direction. They are marching not to the light of Christmas but to the darkness of the desert. And because they are only listening to themselves they are not aware of the weeping and gnashing of teeth around them. They are completely at a loss.
Just behind them a large group of religious leaders are walking, like the rabbi and Levite, the pandit and the imam, the vicar and the priest. They tell all who want to hear about it about the promise of love and peace for everybody, but sometimes it seems that some of them regard themselves as more important than the words they preach. That is why they end up entangled in the thorn bush of their own rightness.
Fortunately, most people do not permit themselves to be led by them. They look for the star of Bethlehem and go on believing, hoping and filled with love and courage on their way to the child in the manger.
Somewhere in this colourful parade one can detect quite a special company. This group of people – so it seems – consists of only wonderful birds of paradise! Some are laughing continuously, while others seem more introvert. Most of them are walking and jumping along, while part of them is carried or pushed in wheel chairs. None is lagging behind, all can come to Baby Jesus.
At the head of the line the well-known leaders of this world, e.g. Poetin and Trump, are walking. They draw the attention because they are loudly proclaiming that they know the right way and they are walking with long strides (and a loud mouth once in a while) ahead of the parade.
That is why they are missing out on the fact that they are heading in the wrong direction. They are marching not to the light of Christmas but to the darkness of the desert. And because they are only listening to themselves they are not aware of the weeping and gnashing of teeth around them. They are completely at a loss.
Just behind them a large group of religious leaders are walking, like the rabbi and Levite, the pandit and the imam, the vicar and the priest. They tell all who want to hear about it about the promise of love and peace for everybody, but sometimes it seems that some of them regard themselves as more important than the words they preach. That is why they end up entangled in the thorn bush of their own rightness.
Fortunately, most people do not permit themselves to be led by them. They look for the star of Bethlehem and go on believing, hoping and filled with love and courage on their way to the child in the manger.
Somewhere in this colourful parade one can detect quite a special company. This group of people – so it seems – consists of only wonderful birds of paradise! Some are laughing continuously, while others seem more introvert. Most of them are walking and jumping along, while part of them is carried or pushed in wheel chairs. None is lagging behind, all can come to Baby Jesus.
On second thoughts this special company of people appears to consist of all residents of PCC – Hand in Hand, almost a total of 100. The names of Poetin and Trump do not ring a bell and they willingly listen to the stories told by the religious leaders. However, they choose to proceed in their own way, mostly on a narrow path, but deep inside they feel this is the only and right way to go.
While they are walking closely together like in a true Community softly their song “We wish you a Merry Christmas” sounds. And then the angels’ choir of Christmas Eve is reflected in their smiling faces.
On their arrival at the stable their eyes are twinkling even more. They pet the donkey, stroke the Child in the manger and put their simple but colourful drawings next to Maria, who is very happy with them. And Joseph is smiling like a proud young father.
Suddenly a very special man is standing among the children, nobody has seen him arriving. He is radiating great love and heavenly peace and says: ”Let the children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”.
And while he is speaking and the children of PCC are happily humming and dancing, a choir of angels is singing: “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and goodwill towards men.”
Cheerfully the parade is on its way again in the direction of the year 2019. From Bethlehem they walk alongside a stream of living water to the New Jerusalem. There will not be any hunger and sorrow anymore, only a peace that passeth all human understanding. Amen.
All residents of PCC are also singing for you:
“We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year”.