Celebrate things that really are important

A COUPLE of years after a civil war had torn apart a country near Australia, I was in one of the worst affected areas.

Peace had been restored thanks to an international force, but the wounds were still fresh.

Christmas was due to start with the celebration of Midnight Mass with the Brothers at a small village.

Our truck had broken down, I was tired, we were all tired, and by the time we arrived it was 2.30am.

To my surprise, the village was waiting outside the small bush church — waiting patiently, old and young, babies and children. They had been there for hours. We duly celebrated Mass, with great joy and thankfulness. I went to sleep at about 5am, only to be awakened by a cheerful Brother at 6.30am: ‘‘Happy Christmas, Father Keith! Time for morning mass!’’ The village was there again, waiting. After the Eucharist, a wait, and then the communal feast, before a long afternoon sleep.

I should have been feeling exhausted. And I was. But also joyful, renewed. These people had almost nothing; certainly there was no exchange of gifts, no material extravaganza as there is here. After all, there was nothing to give. But we would be wrong to say that. These people had everything. They knew of war, and were thankful to God for the peace.

And they had each other; and knew that in each other, they had God in their midst.

There was a young infant that morning; and with that baby, that gift from God, we had the Christ-child with us.

So in this time of rushing about, of buying presents and gifts, please remember what is really important, and please remember the true gift of Christmas — the love of God, shown in a baby, and the love we should have for each other, shown by giving of ourselves. —The Very Rev’d Dr Keith Joseph Dean of Darwin