Cakes, Cards, Carols and the "Cree"

December is upon us again with its chills and there is a hint of joy around even in the cold. My own excitement for this month has changed over time. It is this time of the month that the cakes seems to be at their best. A decorated cake received is opened with much excitement. A plain cake is still an opportunity to have something to eat with tea. Of all the cakes, I remember a flavour which is now no longer received. The dear aunt who gives them is no longer around to celebrate with. I remember the rush to the card shop to choose and select cards: each picked with a person in mind. Cards anticipated,  given and received. The carols have faded away; carols where the whole lot of people went around singing and spreading joy. And there is the "cree" to be decked up.

An old story in the Book tells of when one night an angel appeared to a group of common strangers. It says that the luminous glorious light of God shone around them. It is to this story that we owe all the celebration of the month of December. Imagine the horror and startled faces of those shepherds in the night visited by a stranger. The first words "Fear not" probably only did the opposite. But then the fear turn curiosity as they receive the message. This curiosity further pushes them to go to see for themselves the truthfulness of what they were told. And as they went and saw the truthfulness of the message, they returned with joy, telling others about it. Imagine the transformations: fear into joy; bewilderment into adoration; listeners into witnesses - all because one fine night, at the right time the Light shone around them. This is the story that now dominates the December season. This is not the whole story, this is just where the December story fits. And the gifting of cards and cakes, singing of carols, lighting up of the tree and the star all makes better sense because of the story. In the absence of the story, these features will still be considered beautiful. But it is in the light of this story that these small gestures gain a deeper meaning, a celebration of divine hope offered to man and the beginning (though in the fullest sense, this story was already ready way back) of the greatest love story ever told.

The message for us today is the same: "fear not"and yet we cannot be so sometimes. Caught up in all the ruckus and fanfare, there could always be an uncertainty lurking around the next corner. But when the light shines around you, rest assured, joy and peace is on the horizon.