In Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Gloucester it says: “It is the old story that all
the beasts can talk in the night between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in
the morning (though there are very few folk that can hear them, or know what
it is that they say).” Some years back I was given an article about a painting
dating back to the days when Shulbrede Priory was a house of Augustinian
Canons. In pre-Reformation days, there was a great chamber which was
partitioned, and on the partition to this day there is a painting of different
animals, birds and so on announcing the birth of Christ. Along the top is a
quote from Isaiah 7:14 “Behold a virgin shall conceive” and along the bottom
is a quote from Psalm 150 “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord”. The
birds and animals are speaking in Latin, but I’ll give a running translation.
First, the cockerel announces: “CHRISTUS NATUS EST” – Christ is born. A
duck quacks: “QUANDO QUANDO” – When? When? A raven croaks the
answer: “IN HAC NOCTE” – tonight. An ox now takes his turn by lowing:
“UBI UBI” – Where? Where? And a sheep bleats “IN BETHLEM” – In
Bethlehem.
There is something wonderful about Christmas, with a special grace of its own,
even if we haven’t heard animals and birds speaking in Latin. When I was
growing up in the 1980s, there was a Christmas Special of He-Man & She-Ra.
For some reason, as far as I recall, I missed the middle and only saw the
beginning and the end. In one of the final scenes, two children from earth
come running to the bad guy, Skeletor, thanking him for saving them from
another evil character, Horde Prime. He-Man is shocked. “He saved you?” he
asks. Skeletor admits that, yes, he did. He doesn’t know what is happening to
him. He’s starting to feel good, which makes him feel ill. He-Man says:
“You’re starting to feel the Christmas spirit, Skeletor”. She-Ra consoles him
by saying: “Don’t worry, Skeletor. Christmas only comes once a year.”
There is something amazing about Christmas. It’s a bit like a similar quote
from Bill Cosby: “for two people in a marriage to live together day after day is
unquestionably the one miracle the Vatican has overlooked”. Christmas brings
people together. Christ’s birth has a power of its own.
Look at the first Christmas. The angel appears to the shepherds and
announces: “I bring you good news of great joy”. The expression “good
news” had been used in the Roman Empire to herald the birth and appearance
of Augustus Caesar. But tonight, the birth of someone even more important is
announced, the long-awaited Messiah. Think how the shepherds must have
been overjoyed at all that happened. “And the shepherds returned, glorifying
and praising God for all they had heard and seen.” We can tap into that.
The birth of Christ has inspired so many different songs and forms of music.
Maybe, when you hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, “For unto us a child is
born”, you start hearing the words of Handel’s Messiah. But just look at how
Christmas carols retain their appeal year after year, and non-believers sing them
too.
St Paul wrote to St Titus: “Beloved: the grace of God has appeared” and we
can truly say that is true of tonight/today. In the Prologue of St John’s Gospel,
announcing the Word, it says:
“The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it. ...
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
the only begotten God, who is at the Father’s side,
he has made him known.”
Truly, life will never be the same again.
Today, let us celebrate and rejoice. The Saviour is with us! And maybe
even the birds and animals too, realise that there is something special
happening right now.
Curious about exploring things further? If you would like to ask further questions about the topics raised in these homilies (or maybe think it wasn’t explained too well!), please feel free to e-mail Fr Michael at stjoseph.thame@rcaob.org.uk