Twelfth Night has come and gone

Twelfth Night has come and gone. The tree, along with its decorations and lights are packed away for another year. The Christmas cards are off the walls and this year there were more nativity than red robins and nature scenes – does that say something about a growing unease as we look into the uncertainties of 2017? But two cards stood out for me because they were so totally opposite. One was a simple drawing of Mary with Jesus, her first born child. The other was a tongue in cheek sketch of Santa and his sleigh being pulled across the face of the moon. Nothing spectacular in that until a close look revealed not reindeer pulling the sleigh but a line of tanks. Not surprisingly this was sent by a colleague who had been in the Tank Regiment! I greatly appreciated both these cards because they came from respected friends and when placed side by side reminded me of a daily choice: do I trust the love of power and military might [a very Roman Empire understanding that peace comes through victory in war] or the power of love [Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies and to do good to those who wish us harm]? Presents, yes, but Christmas is also about the Presence of God coming to us every day in friends and family but also in all people who are in need. And that means making difficult choices for the good of us all.

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