Christmas
24 December 2023
Merry Christmas!
On 10th November 1942 at the Lord Mayor’s luncheon at Mansion House in London, Sir Winston Churchill addressed the gathering after receiving the news of the victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein made this statement:
I have never promised anything but blood, tears, toil, and sweat. Now, however, the bright gleam has caught the helmets of our soldiers, and warmed and cheered all our hearts.”
“The late M. Venizelos observed that in all her wars England — always wins one battle — the last. It would seem to have begun rather earlier this time. General Alexander, with his brilliant comrade and lieutenant, General Montgomery, has gained a glorious and decisive victory in what I think should be called the battle of Egypt. Rommel’s army has been defeated. It has been routed. It has been very largely destroyed as a fighting force.”
“This battle was not fought for the sake of gaining positions or so many square miles of desert territory. General Alexander and General Montgomery fought it with one single idea. they meant to destroy the armed force of the enemy and to destroy it at the place where the disaster would be most far-reaching and irrecoverable….”
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.“
An angel appeared to a group of shepherds keeping watch with the announcement:
“Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. .. (Luke 2:
In other words, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
Jesus’ birth signals the beginning of the last days. The old order has come to a close; the herald (John the Baptist) is already six months old, and he will announce the Messiah’s arrival in a few short years when he calls us a “brood of vipers” (that reading is slated for another Sunday). The new order, the realm of God’s final redemptive love that will ultimately transform us and our world forever is already breaking into human history. It has already started are we willing to look for it and receive it?
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.“
Merry Christmas!
Amen.