Once in royal
David’s city
Joke about –
they are carols
If that makes,
you wince, you may be surprised to see me wincing at the beginning of lessons
and carols. Let me explain. Not quite Christmas yet – can I be a bit
Scrooge ist and have a bit of a moan.
It’s about what
we sing. What we sing forms us. There are some real cracking carols – bring
it alive. But there are some real
corkers which we sing every year and which I think don’t help that much. Sometimes the songs we wrap Christmas up
with can not help us get the point. Now
you are probably wondering – which ones is he on about? I don’t mind asking people to carry me now
to Bethlehem, I don’t mind the idea of the rod of Jesse, although I’m not sure
many people get what it means, I can cope even with asking for more figgy
pudding, even though I hate figs.
But what I find
makes me cringe every year is this:
“Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.” Oh
dear. My boys! The radical Jesus. Getting involved.
Incarnational. I know what it’s
saying, but no wonder people think Christmas is a bit twee. And no wonder they think we are. I’m not sure we really want to be that
saccharine.
And the
second: Where like stars His children
crowned
All in white shall wait around.
Boring! God is interested in
flesh, in real life. It makes our
destiny sound like some kind of eternal bus queue. Prefer here. I prefer CS
Lewis understanding of heaven, where we are more real, more vital – just like
Jesus’ resurrection body. Great
Divorce, p29.
So if you see me
wincing, it’s just the effect of my tongue being planted firmly in my cheek.