We Need a Little Christmas

The Episcopal Day School Festival of Lessons and Carols, held on the morning of the half day before Christmas break and filling the church with 2nd-8th grade students, faculty, families (and even our Rabbi friend this year!), is likely my most favorite event of the school year, and certainly my most beloved experience of school worship. It brings to mind the many years I spent singing in church choirs at similar festivals, and it reaffirms my deep sense of what a blessing it is to have the worship of the Holy Child of Bethlehem at the very center of our Christmas celebrations at EDS. Most children end their semester without any mention of Jesus – we end ours by telling, in Word and song, the story of our salvation history.

This same festival of lessons and carols that I so enjoy does not come together easily each year. I am indebted to the musicians, of course, and the acolyte moms too, but the annual selection and preparation of readers is the most significant task I face. One child from each of fourth through eighth grades is appointed, but we use six readings (not five) and it’s the very first one that I have trouble assigning each year. It’s longer than the others AND it requires the reader to say “naked” three times … and neither of these features appeal to young readers. Genesis 3:1-15 recounts the story of the fall into sin and, believe it or not, it is the ONLY REQUIRED reading at the Festival of Christmas Lessons and Carols.

Yes, you read that correctly! Luke 2:1-20 (“And it came to pass … swaddling clothes … angels and shepherds”) is NOT a required reading for Christmas Lessons and Carols. John 1 (“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”) is NOT a required reading at Christmas Lessons and Carols. Genesis 3:1-15 (“Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”), however, IS a required reading! Every year I am struck by this rubric (a prayer book “rule”) but every year the reason also becomes more clear to me. You see, without the fall into sin we would have no need of Christmas (nor of Easter, of course!) Without that serpent, forbidden fruit, and the wrong choices of our first ancestors … humankind would not need redeeming, so there’d be no death on the cross required, and we wouldn’t have need of a child born to a Virgin in Bethlehem. So, we’d better read about the first sin at lessons and carols, right? Without it there would be no Christmas Lessons and Carols to celebrate, after all.

Nobody wants to dwell on sin at Christmas time! We’d much rather focus on the hope, and peace, and joy, and love of this beautiful season. The truth is, however, that sin made Christmas necessary … and it still does. Way back behind the manger is the forbidden tree – and ahead of the manger is the cross. Christmas happens because of one, and to make possible the other. It is a joyous occasion, of course, because it is the beginning of the story of our redemption in Christ … but we must not forget why it happens, neither its cause nor its outcome. Merry Christmas!

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Pastor Lisa +