“When..our voices sing our sentimental carols but lack the prophetic edge and lack a call for justice, we fail Christmas. When we hear the words of the angels in the Nativity narrative, crying out for peace on earth and then fail to call for a ceasefire, we fail Christmas”.
Photo: Nativity in Bethlehem 2023 - Baby Jesus in rubble!
By Ruth Peacock: The Rev David Hardman, the Methodist Church liaison officer in Jerusalem, has issued a Christmas reflection describing the reality of living in Bethlehem today and offering the view that if people fail to call for justice and peace on earth through a ceasefire, “we fail Christmas”. Mr Hardman, now working in the same role but from the UK, shows in his film a Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, where a small toy baby lies on top of rubble, signifying the muted Christmas celebrations in the city.
He says that in Bethlehem, festivities are cancelled, there are no lights or tree in the holy city, where thousands of tourists usually gather, the Manger square is silent, but so are people in the West Bank mega concentration camp, scared for speaking out. After 7 October, he said Bethlehem was effectively locked down, with checkpoints closed, and roads out of the city blocked with concrete and rubble. He says: “70 per cent of people in Bethlehem have lost their regular income”. Schools provide food parcels, and there are nightly raids at refugee camps. “When..our voices sing our sentimental carols but lack the prophetic edge and lack a call for justice, we fail Christmas. When we hear the words of the angels and then in the Nativity narrative, crying out for peace on earth and fail to call for a ceasefire,, we fail Christmas”. He says the challenge is to model lives on the vulnerable child in the rubble and serve all those whose lives are threatened by war, violence, injustice, oppression, fear and all who are struggling to hang on to hope”
David Hardman Methodist Liaison Officer Jerusalem | Christmas Reflection
No comments:
Post a Comment