OzThoughts – Christmas Day 2008.

OzThoughts – Christmas Day 2008.

I wandered around the hospital yesterday, and I was very aware it was Christmas. Every patient I visited told me one of two things: either they were going home or they were staying. Some were getting anxious as they waited for the doctor tosay the work and they would be off home.

One lady had come in for an out-patients clinic check up and found herself in hospital requiring more blood. She told the nurse who came in while I was there that they had better hurry with the blood as her son was picking her up at 5am on Christmas morning to take her to the family gathering.

Some were clearly disappointed that they would be in hospital on Christmas day but I did find one man who seemed excited that he had just ordered turkey for his Christmas lunch from the ‘patient’s menu‘. He told me that ‘They would see that he had a good Christmas”. They obviously were the hospital staff.

There were decorations in every part of the hospital. Many of the staff and volunteers had added Christmas items to their clothing and hair. Even the skeleton which stands silently in the Medical Library was wearing a Santa suit.

The number of patients in the hospital was a lot less than on usual days and some wards were closed. Many staff were already on leave.

Some of the Chaplains are taking leave and there were only two of us at prayers. One of the Catholic priests and I shared in prayers from the Anglican Prayer Book and one of our readings was from Ephesians:

Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: for you have blessed us in Christ Jesus with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
You chose us to be yours in Christ before the foundation of the world: that we should be holy and blameless before you.
In love you destined us to be your children, through Jesus Christ: according to the purpose of your will,
To the praise of your glorious grace: which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1.3-6 (Prayer Book for Australia - The Opening Canticle, A Song of God's Grace).

Ephesians 1:3-6 (The Message)
How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

Whilst this is the set readings for every Wednesday morning, it seemed a particularly appropriate this week when we are focusing on the birth of Jesus. It clearly tells us the reason for the season.

PRAYER:

Thank you, our Heavenly Father, for Jesus. Today we think of his birth and we see clearly your love for us. I pray that we might experience that love in a special way today and having experienced it, pass it on as a gift to others. Amen.

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4721.mp3 ]

All our hearts rejoice this morning,
On this happy Christmas day;
Praise and joy to God we're sounding,
Love and peace have come our way.
Jesus Christ, our loving Saviour,
Came to earth with gifts sublime;
Let us join our voices singing:
What a glory, he is mine!

All the angels told the story
On the hillside long ago
Of the babe who came from Glory
Bringing peace in endless flow.
Angels, shepherds, wise men worshiped,
Bowed before the child sublime;
Let us join our voices singing:
What a glory, he is mine!

Let us hear again the story
Of the angels' glorious song,
Hear again the message ringing:
Christ will triumph over wrong.
His salvation freely given
Is his gift to all mankind;
Let us join our voices singing:
What a glory, he is mine!
Author: Ernest Henry Parr
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 74

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