What is it all about?!

As you may recall, I am a great lover of questions.  It is by asking questions that we learn, and we are never too old to learn.  Also, it is not only the one asking the question who potentially stands to benefit from the answer, but also the one to whom the question is put, as the question is analysed and the response formulated.

While we are theoretically encouraged to ask questions, I fear that more often than not, the invitation is extended more as a formality than as a genuine offer.  How often are we directed to the ‘frequently asked questions’ webpage, or encouraged to enter discussion with some form of Artificial Intelligence via the ‘chat’ facility?  The reason being that it takes time to answer a great many questions.

It also takes time to ask a question.  Before asking a question, we must be aware of there being something lacking in our knowledge.  In turn, it means that we must have understanding of the context in which the question is asked.  One benefit of virtual courses is that they appear to have silenced the ubiquitous individual who asked repeated questions, the vast majority of which had either already been answered or otherwise were plainly stupid!

Questions form a central part of our Ritual, and reflect that element or learning and growing in knowledge and understanding which I have already alluded to.  Masonry is a progressive science, and from the moment we are initiated we are encouraged to make a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge.  Traditionally we were encouraged to speak to other brethren, and now with the wonderful facility that is Solomon, there is no shortage of information available to respond to our many questions.

At this busy time of year for many people, I suspect that the question they are asking is ‘how on earth am I going to get everything done in time?’!  The challenges this year have been compounded by the losses, damage and disruption caused by Strom Darragh which had such a devastating impact on our communities.  

Why then do so many have to contend with such a heavy burden at this time of year?  As I see it at least, much of it is in fact self-inflicted, fuelled by the powers of advertising and peer pressure.  In this country we still regard Christmas as an important time of the year, and the Christmas Dinner (whenever it may take place) is the annual highlight and focus of life shared with family and friends.  It is natural therefore that we all want it to be good – whatever ‘good’ may look like for each individual.

The position is of course compounded by the fact that we have access to so much ‘good’ to elevate our celebrations – decorations, food, drink, not to mention presents.  Indeed, it can be seen as something of a spider’s web.

For this reason, I encourage you to pause for a moment and to reflect on the opening question – ‘what is it all about?’.  I’m afraid that I’m not going to let you off lightly here, because I invite you to think about the question in the context of your life and in the context of creation – the whole history of humanity…!

This is far from unfamiliar territory becuse our Ritual encourages us to ponder these things.  We are forcefully reminded that our time in this mortal life is finite and that we are to make the best of the time allotted to us and the talents entrusted to us, for our own benefit and for our family, brethren and neighbours.  We are part of a very large picture which is still being painted, and if we act selfishly or without thinking then we risk marring the beauty of this great masterpiece.

The answer given in the Hebrew Bible is that it is all about God’s relationship in the first instance with his chosen people, and wider with the whole of creation, and respectively their relationship with God.  A relationship which blows both hot and cold on the part of all creation, but the one constant is God’s presence.  The Hebrew Bible also speaks of the day when that relationship will be transformed, when God’s Messiah will bring liberation and freedom.

In a comparable way that we consider the Royal Arch as being the completion of Pure Ancient Masonry, for Christians the New Testament is the fulfilment of the Old Testament.  Here Christians find God’s promises made of old, fulfilled.

At its most profound, in the narrative account of the birth of Jesus Christ which we find in the Gospels, those who believe that the infant in the manger was the Son of God, are given the answer to what their life is all about.  The fact that God humbled himself to be born a man like each one of us is both bizarre and wonderful!  

However, the full answer is not to be found in the stable (or cave) in Bethlehem but also on Calvary outside the walls of Jerusalem and in the empty tomb.  Jesus Christ humbled himself to die for creation on a Cross, so that God’s new relationship with creation could begin.  Such was God’s love for creation and such is God’s love for us.  Christians now live in that new relationship of love with God in which we are encouraged to love one another, trusting again in God’s promise that when time will be no more, we may attain a higher, even more glorious, relationship with God.

Our understanding and perception of all of these things should inevitably impact on how we understand Christmas and what we do at Christmas.  If we consider it to be a celebration of the love which the Creator has for his creation, then we would do well to accept that love in to our hearts and minds, and to share that love with everyone we encounter in whatever ways we can.

Such love doesn’t need decorations, food, drink or even presents!  In fact, such things can actually become a hinderance or distraction, if we allow them to dominate our thoughts and actions at this time of year.  Love such as this needs nothing more than an open and willing heart, which each one of us possess, and for us to allow that love to flow freely from it towards our families, brethren and neighbours.

It is for this reason that the beauty of this time of year is not confined to Christians, and people of other beliefs and non, are inspired to share their love more generously.  If we accept the Christian message of Christmas, then it gives us the answer not only to the question of why we make such a fuss about Christmas, but as to the reason and purpose for our being.

As we ponder these great things, may such love well up in us and overflow in great abundance.  May the Season of Christmas bring us great joy and blessings as we reflect on all that we have to be thankful for, and in the New Year may we be encouraged and enabled to love each other all the more – brothers and sisters across the world.

I offer this Christian prayer:

O God our Father,

fill our hearts with the joy

of the wonder if Christmas.

Love came down at Christmas,

and that love was seen in Jesus.

May his love be with us now.

Peace came down at Christmas,

and that peace was seen in Jesus.

May his peace be with us now.

Joy came down at Christmas,

and that joy was seen in Jesus.

May his joy be with us now.

May love, peace and joy

be in our hearts as we celebrate

the coming of God to his people,

in Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

I wish you and those near and dear to you love, peace and joy at Christmas, and health and contentment in the New Year.

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bob un ohonoch ac i’r rhai sy’n annwyl gennych.