At Christmas time most of us get into the busy frenetic spirit of things and rush around alternately having fun and feeling harassed.  But for some people Christmas is not a happy time.

The first Christmas after my husband died was very difficult.  How was I supposed to enjoy the party without him?  For others who are alone and feeling isolated, Christmas, with its connotations of happy families and festivities, is sad and depressing.

Many churches hold a Blue Christmas Service during December to recognise people’s experiences of sadness and depression in the midst of happiness.

Last December I was walking along the beach with my daughter Marianne, bemoaning my lack of inspiration for the upcoming Blue Christmas Service.  As she stooped to pick up a piece of sea glass, glinting on the sand, she said “Use this for an image Mum.  It has possibilities.”  As Marianne is an avid collector of sea glass I had enough pieces to give each participant a piece of glass to take home.

Here is an extract from the Blue Christmas Service which you may use if you wish.

SEA GLASS – A Reflection

A bowl sea glass is placed on a stand at the front of the church.  At the appropriate time the bowl is taken around and each person is invited to take a piece of sea glass, hold it and meditate on it.

This sea glass was collected from local beaches.  Each piece has its own beauty.  I invite you to think about your piece of glass.

A time of silence

Once this piece of glass was part of something useful; maybe a bottle, a glass, a bowl or a jar; but it was broken.  Of no more use it was discarded and found its way into the sea.  After all who wants a broken bottle, a broken glass, a broken bowl or a broken jar?

But the sea was not finished with the glass.  The movement of the tides and the abrading of the sand on the bottom of the ocean, softened the edges, causing the glass to become frosted and the sharp edges smooth.  Tossing and turning the great sea turned the poor broken piece of glass into a thing of beauty. Then it was washed up on the beach, and lay glinting in the sunlight, waiting to be found by someone who was looking for it.

So it is with grief.  When we lose someone or something, or when we see unimaginable tragedy on our TV or computer screens, we may feel broken, useless, angry or despairing.  But God is with us in the great sea of our grief. God understands, loves and cares for us.  Like the tides of the sea, grief tosses and turns us, scraping us along the gritty sand of pain.  Gradually as we surrender to God’s love, we are transformed into something of beauty.  Not the same as before; maybe never without the pain, but beautiful in the sight of God.

Let’s reflect quietly on the glass as we surrender ourselves to the great sea of God’s healing love?

A time of silence

Amen