December 2021

The Parish Churches of

St Michael & St Wulfad, Stone, with

St Saviour Aston by Stone

If you look at this Sunday’s readings, you might be forgiven for being a little confused. This Sunday is actually the 9^th day of Christmas, Ladies dancing and all. However, the lectionary readings published overleaf are for Epiphany

I’m old and grumpy enough to be slightly annoyed: strictly, when Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the Sunday is not Boxing Day, but is the first Sunday of Christmas. That then pushes St Stephen until Monday 27^th, St John Evangelist to Tuesday 28^th, and Holy Innocents on to Wednesday 29^th – poor old Thomas a Becket (29^th) , being a less major Saint, then gets eclipsed altogether. The following Sunday is Christmas 2 – and then Epiphany falls on Thursday 6^th as usual. Not according to our sheets, where they give us a pre-emptive strike at Epiphany!

In fairness, it’s not the Church of England’s fault. These days the lectionary is compiled between many of our different Christian denominations, thus the mix up with our readings. As the sheets had not arrived by the time we compiled the December-January magazine, the confusion arises. I think I am allowed my own version of UDI, though and we shall celebrate Epiphany on Thursday at 10.30am!

So this Sunday we are reminded it’s both Christmas – and a celebration of those Magi from long ago. Once again we are also reminded that our Lord was and is a threat to Society. Just as the wicked powers that were sought to get rid of Christ just as he was born, so Jesus demands of us an allegiance that seeks to do nothing less than overturn society. He may not be a King in the way that Powers and dominions understand to this day – but he asks us to embrace a wealth that has little to do with gold and silver – such trifles he asks us to give away. His Kingdom seeks to bring us back to God – and we are the ambassadors of a very different way to live

Happy New Year

Ian Cardinal