2nd December

O Little town of Bethlehem

“The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”

Written by Ann Howe

The Carol sets the image of the Bethlehem we celebrate at Christmas. Small, quiet and lit by the moon and stars. A village like place, where we learn from the writings of saints Matthew and Luke, that was busy with visitors from neighbouring towns registering their lineage to King David, who was also born and crowned there.

The streets are dark and narrow and we get the impression of it suddenly being lit by angels glorifying God and a sense of joyous celebration at the birth of the Holy Child, born in a lowly manger. Shepherds arrive with their sheep and some days later Wise Men from the East arrive to worship the infant, bringing gifts.

In 1993 I had a dream fulfilled of visiting Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Just for a day. It was at the ending of the first Israeli - Palestinian Conflict. We travelled from Haifa to Jerusalem in a coach along arid land and saw the tanks left by the road side after the war.

It was Whit Sunday and all the other religions were celebrating Festivals according to their particular Faiths: Jewish, Muslim, Greek Orthodox and Christian. Crowds thronging the streets as illustrated in the Carol.

I could not associate the image I had of Bethlehem with what I was witnessing. The multiple white houses on the undulating landscape, the wide square in the Centre, the Church of the Nativity, the shops selling souvenirs, even one a diamond centre! All the visitors thronging around for treasure

That day destroyed my image of the Bethlehem I had dreamed of, but it thrills me to realise that Our Lord had walked where I was now walking and “the hopes and fears of all the years” are STILL “met in thee tonight.”