Christmas message from Reverend Margaret Smith

Christmas message from Reverend Margaret Smith, chaplain for Rochdale town centre, Police and Armed Forces Associations.

---

To all the readers of Rochdale Online and its staff,

Well it’s Christmas and we are beyond the halfway mark of December. But I am tempted to say so what!!

Do not get me wrong, I love Christmas. I love the Christmas tree lights, presents, Christmas cards, chocolate, turkey and even sprouts (with chestnuts and al dente)! I love the old Christmas films: “White Christmas”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street.” 

Because of my faith Christmas is a special season for me: I cannot get enough of singing carols no matter how many times I sing “Silent Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.”

Likewise I can never re-read too often the accounts of the Nativity in Bible in Luke chapter 2 and Matthew chapter 2 though my favourite passage is John chapter 1. 

We generally expect Christmas to be a happy celebration but for many people Christmas is always a challenging time because of grief, illness and or separation from family and friends. This year is especially hard for many because many people are struggling to live day to day and are worried about how they will survive that, let alone how can they afford to celebrate anything.

This is why John 1 is important to me! John describes how Jesus is the ‘light of the world’ and the ‘light’ that has come to the darkness in the world. You see God so loved the world that He gave His only Son and when we trust and believe in Him, then we have an unlimited source of love, support and guidance.

I know as a Christian that God not only loves us all but God is love and we can love one another because God loves us first. 

God gave people free choice to choose whether to live as He asked them to or to do things their own way! They chose their own way and world became such a mess that it meant God had to come up with a rescue plan - Jesus. (The name ‘Jesus’ means God saves.) You see God chose to let Jesus - His Son - be born not in a palace with the luxuries and comforts but to be laid in a manger where it would have been somewhere rough and ready because there was no room in the inns- a tough start for the first child of a young mum far away from family and friends.

But from that questionable start Jesus knew first hand of the challenges of a painful difficult life: not only did He stick to God’s way of being, living and loving sacrificially, He lived God’s way even when that meant dying on the cross. Totally innocent but being punished for the messes we have made and will make whoever we are.

Today our world is just as dark if not darker than then but Jesus, being a literal and figurative Saviour, is the real gift of Christmas. We don’t need large bank accounts, presents or feasts to celebrate but we do need to know love and the care of other people- this is what really makes Christmas special. 

In the 1994 remake of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ - Kris Kringle is in court; his lawyer has to prove that he really is Father Christmas and not insane.

The lawyer is failing until he looks at a dollar bill. He arranges at the start of the next court session for the judge to be given a card with a dollar bill inside: this bill has encircled the words “in God we trust.” 

On this basis the judge states that just as they cannot prove God exists but trusts He does, they can do the same for Santa. Well sorry I do not believe Santa exists but I do know God is real and we celebrate His love for us every Christmas. This Christmas will be difficult for many and there are lots of uncertainties in the months ahead but I do believe and stick to the fact that “In God We Can Trust.”

I cannot explain how but I believe from God there is the strength to face each day whatever it holds and Christmas blessings are to be discovered and shared. We can share what we have, we can smile at strangers, we can make time for people, we can support charities and organisations helping those in need, we can help people feel safe and valued and we can love, care for and encourage each other just like Jesus did and does. 

So my Christmas prayer for everyone is that love is felt known and shared this Christmas and for always.

God bless you all.

Margaret

Chaplain: Town Centre, Armed Forces Associations and Police.