At the heart of the meaning of Christmas is a message that defies tidy explanation. Indeed, even trying to speak of ‘the meaning’ is foolish. What Christians celebrate in the birth of Jesus Christ is itself so profound, and of such great magnitude, that we struggle ever to articulate it comprehensively – and we should be rightly suspicious of those who claim to do so. But when we struggle to find the right words, so often the arts step into the breach. We discover a rich set of traditions of music and drama, poetry and song, that evoke and express something of the joy and wonder of the birth of Christ. These artistic traditions allow us glimpses into the story in ever fresh ways, and recall us from our own blinkered versions of Christmas to consider how people of other places and ages have imagined and reimagined the meaning of the Christ-child for their own settings and situations.

On Tuesday 4th December, St Mary’s will be host to a remarkable evening of poetry and song, ‘A Thousand Years of Christmas’. In what promises to be a breathtaking evening, Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury and a respected poet, will be performing works by Dylan Thomas, Bishop Latimer (who was himself condemned to death at St Mary’s), Charles Dickens and Ted Hughes. He will also read from his own poetry too. He is joined by international soloist Sally Bradshaw, who sings a range of music: from eleventh century chant to Victorian Music Hall and art songs, with some carols too, accompanied by Michael Haslam on piano, violin and psaltery.

This promises to be an unforgettable evening: a journey through centuries of reflection and creativity, all summoned by a small child born and laid in a manger. Do join us for this very special occasion. Tickets are available at £15 through ticketsoxford.com.

O God our Father,
who by the glorious birth of your Son
did enlighten the darkness of the world;
may the light of his presence shine in our lives,
that being filled with his spirit,
we may enter that peace which he came to bring.
Amen.