The night was not so silent:

In the bustling streets

Crowds pushed and poked

With shoving elbows and trampling feet

Men cursed

Dust choked

Indifferent to a woman heavy with child

In desperate need of a place to sleep

 

The little town was not so still:

It’s streets and houses overflowing

With one night standers, out of towners

Compelled together by Roman decree

Eager to reclaim their normality

The shrill shouts of merchants intertwined

With the noise and smell of humanity

For trade was brisk and coins flowed free

 

The virgin mother was not so peaceful:

Her young face etched with pain and fear

On her lips a voiceless prayer

Her womb, its patience spent,

Pushing, heaving, stretching,

Sharply signalling its intent

Amid the turmoil of the dung strewn street

To expel her child right then and there

 

The Child’s face was not so radiant:

Stained with the blood of newborn birth

Tender untouched flesh

Trembling in the sudden cool

Untried lungs gasping earthly air

A cattle trough to lay his head

His holy Presence barely noted

By passing crowds with minds elsewhere

 

The world was not so joyful:

No shining golden trumpets

Heralded this King’s advent

No pushy journalists jostled for a view

Or flashing cameras recorded the event

Just a few poor peasant shepherds

Whose witness was devoid of worth

The world too busy to pause and ponder

Another common Jewish birth

 

SO….for just a brief few moments:

 

Can we put aside the Christmas cards

With their sparkling pretty nativities?

Can we forget about turkey and tinsel

To confront our sad reality?

Can the man in the jolly red suit sit down

And the merchants cease their endless clatter?

Can the social networks take a break

From their numbing and distracting chatter?

Can the politicians just for once

Step back from their cherished limelight?

Can the Christmas lights all be dimmed

And the tree forego its dazzling spotlight?

 

For unto us this Child was born

And unto us this Son was given

This Holy Prince of Peace

This God of Living Light

Stands amidst our frantic frenzy

This noisy chaos we use to disguise

That we’re really running all on empty

We need Him now as we did then

When first He came to dwell with men

 

Let’s take one united collective breath

For just a single shining moment

Let towns and cities be at rest

And let the starry night be silent

Let’s ask the questions we can’t forget

Let’s weep for what we lost

As we kneel to worship God made flesh

And wonder why He loves us yet !

© Cheryl McGrath, Bread for the Bride, 2014   Copyright Notice: Permission is granted to freely reproduce any Bread for the Bride articles in emails or internet blogs, unaltered, and providing this copyright notice is included.     To permanently display an article on any static website please contact me for permission.