As the Christmas season begins each year, it brings with it a strange phenomenon – we find ourselves utilising words and phrases which are almost universally unused throughout the remainder of the year! For example, we don’t often hear people adding a ‘Hark’ or a ‘Noel’ into a conversation up until the calendar arrives at December!
This use of seasonal language reinforces in me the understanding that words are important, and words are powerful. The way in which we write and articulate to describe a particular person or a specific situation demonstrates relationship, and conveys meaning and purpose. Humans have long engaged with words, both in the written and spoken form, as one of our primary tools for effective communication.
Years ago I recall reading that the three most difficult sentences for any human being to utter are ‘I am sorry’, ‘I was wrong’ and, the most difficult of them all, ‘I love you’!
Thinking about the power of our words, and the difficulty we sometimes experience in telling people that we love them, reminds me of a popular song from my school-aged era – a song called ‘The Living Years’, which was written, recorded and released in 1988, by the band Mike and the Mechanics. It is a song examining one man’s inability to speak with his dad and say what he was really thinking, to the point where he missed his opportunity to communicate – a sad fact underlined by the words of the chorus where we the listeners to the song are encouraged to ‘Say it loud, say it clear’, before ‘it’s too late’.
As you and I think about the importance of our words, here is a Christmas thought for you.
This year, throughout your Christmas season, please enjoy the food, the fun, the holidays, the gifts and the entire experience of this annual celebration. But, as you do, I encourage you to pause somewhere in the midst of the feasting, the backyard cricket, the trips to the beach and the unwrapping of presents to think about the real meaning of Christmas.
What is Christmas all about? What is at the heart of this celebration? The clue is within the word itself – words are important. ‘Christmas’ comes from ‘Christ’ + ‘mass’; Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ. What are we actually remembering, acknowledging and celebrating at this time of year is the love of God; the love God has for all of us which is demonstrated through His gift to the world in the shape and form of Jesus. Christmas is God saying to us, ‘I love you’ to all of us, so despite the fact that we sometimes struggle to say the phrase, God doesn’t find it difficult to express at all.
Can we ‘say it loud’ and ‘say it clear’ this year? This Christmas, can you and I follow God’s example and show some love to our family and friends and community not just through the giving of gifts, but with our words, our encouragement, and our actions?
I believe we can. Be encouraged to tell someone this Christmas that you love them, appreciate them, and care for them. Explain to them that you are more grateful for their presence in your life than you are for their presents under your tree. Show someone this Christmas that you love them – it could make a real and lasting difference in their life.
May God bless you all as you enjoy a wonderful Christmas with your families and friends.
Rev. Tim Edwards
Lead Chaplain
