1st Sunday of Christmas 2025 St Andrew’s Milngavie`
`Today we continued to celebrate Christmas with a full church and Christmas carols.
Its been wonderful to welcome so many children and visitors to St Andrew’s this year.
This Week
Tuesday 10am – No Prayer Group this week.
Thursday 10am – No Said Holy Communion this week as its New Years’s Day!
Readings for next Sunday – Epiphany – Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:1-12 Mathew 2:1-12
Today’s readings – Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23
Friday was the feast of Saint Stephen. It always lands on Boxing Day and so overshadowed by Christmas Day it is rarely given its full justice as a saint’s day. However, I always like to acknowledge it because for us not only is Stephen a household name, but also he was a significant saint.
Saint Stephen was one of the first deacons of the Christian Church. He was the first Christian martyr and is believed to have been a Greek Jew who converted to Christianity.
In the early church when the number of disciples increased, there was much confusion over the distribution of alms and the serving of the poor. Stephen’s trustworthy character was remarkable, and he was chosen as one of the seven deacons who would perform this task.
An excellent and well trusted orator, his preaching style was so effective that many Jews became worried about his success. They accused him of blasphemy, and he was made to stand trial.
At the supreme Jewish law court, the Sanhedrin, Stephen presents his view of the history of Israel which we can read about in the whole of chapter seven of Acts. This angered the crowd, and he was dragged out onto the streets. He was then stoned to death according to the law at that time, an event witnessed by St Paul. It is believed this happened around the year 34 AD.
How does all this sit with the Christmas story, which we continue to celebrate today?
When we think of Christ’s story, we know the ending and we know it very well. And we know with all its twists and turns it is a happy one. The anticipation of Christmas is followed by the joy and drama of Easter.
But we equally know that between the nativity and the resurrection, not all was good and makes for happy reading.
Today’s gospel, the story of the holy innocents is a challenging and difficult story. It is in stark contrast to all the other nativity scenes which speak of hope and joy – the angels with their glad tidings, the shepherds and wise men visiting the crib all followed by the story of Candlemas, the presentation of Jesus at eight days old in the temple where Simeon and Anna are waiting to see the Son of God. Here they are filled with joy and hope at the sight of the child with Mary and joseph.
“Lord now lettest now thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation…….” Simeon says with wonderment. Luke 2:29-30
The lectionary which selects the readings each Sunday has a habit of missing out the difficult and awkward passages but this one describing the flight of Joseph and Mary, fleeing from Herod who had ordered the death of all small boys in Bethlehem and surroundings country is difficult to stomach.
After the great joy and the celebration Christmas day we are immediately brought back to reality, but Christ ministry did reflect reality. It wasn’t sugar coated, in the incarnation God became one of us and lived an earthly life as we do, experiencing the trials and tribulations, joys and excitements -the bittersweet of earthly existence. Through Jesus’ teaching and his message of love and forgiveness, through the miracles he performed, the healing and wholeness he brought to so many, he created such joy and hope, thousands crowded rounded to hear him speak but this was countered by his death and passion his unlawful and brutal killing.
But being the Christian story, death was not the end, Jesus rose to new life, and this underpins our earthly stories.
For Christ brings salvation to us – our lives may be bittersweet, our paths may not always be smooth. We do not know what the future holds but through a faith in Christ we do know who holds the key to salvation.
So, this new year may we continue to celebrate the birth of Christ and the great hope and joy which that brings to us.