24th December 2025 –
I think it is a reasonable thing to say that all of humanity yearns for something better. It is not important that this yearning sometimes looks back to the past – the desire for apparently better times – or whether it is projected into the future – for hoped-for better times. It is part of our human condition. At its simplest it is an individuals desire to be satisfied, to feel fulfilled. At a more complex level societies organize themselves in such a way that, at least for some, life will seem to be improved. Politics is an expression of this yearning. So also is education, and religion, and so too is the adoption of ’causes’ of one sort or another. Look at any of the situations in which we find ourselves – is there not an element of this yearning. Often it is the peaceful dreams of contentment – and yet when one looks at the troubles in the world – are not all of them the violent expression of these same dreams – a group, a nation, a race, a religion – wanting to improve their lot and seeing no other way than at the expense of others? Human beings seem to have a longing to be fulfilled, made whole – complete if you like. We want a situation or somewhere full of joy, where justice, truth, mercy – and peace are the reality.
We who are gathered here tonight recognise that just over two thousand years ago, and as a fulfilment of many prophecies, a gift was given to us by the Creator, the Lord and Giver of Life. That gift was and is in the words of the carol – the hope of all the years. On the hills outside Bethlehem a birth was announced – in somewhat unusual circumstances. Shepherds hearing heavenly voices in the night would not necessarily be regarded as reliable. They did not know it was Christmas Day – nor could they have appreciated the real significance of the child they visited in some sort of animal shelter.
The celebration of this event over the past centuries has often been a time when usual values may be reversed. A time when strangers may even smile in the street, when prisoners may receive little extra privileges, when people give a little more attention and care to the lonely, the poor, the homeless, the fearful, and when children are especially cherished. Of course some will regard the angels’ promise of peace and goodwill as being fantasy! There was no more good will in first century Palestine, no more peace, than in our own world; indeed the baby born that day had to be smuggled out of the country, and became a refugee, so as to save its life. But the angelic message is our hope, our vision of a better and kindlier life. Recalling it every year is surely a sign of how we need and yearn for that hope.
It is difficult to escape the conclusion that had the angels attached their message to any other event – we would long since have forgotten it. The genius of the Christmas story is that it is centred upon the birth of a child – an experience so universal and so universally wonderful, that nobody is excluded from it. The new born baby is innocence itself, it commands no armies, levies no taxes, knows nothing of fame, wealth or cleverness, crime or virtue. At the manger all men and women are equal, all humbled by the recollection of their own origins. But merely by being born Jesus did not achieve what the angels had promised. The story moves on from his birth. There was also a death, no less awesome and no less central to the meaning of God’s gift. For our yearnings to be satisfied there has to be a death and a resurrection. In fact there needs to be an Easter in each of our lives.
