Each year, the Christian Council of Trinidad and Tobago hosts a series of Christmas celebrations at the attractive crèche on the Brian Lara Promenade.

The presence of the crèche is especially prominent at night since it is so well lighted. The closing ceremony is quite formal. It is televised.

The music is provided by the very talented Police Service Band and Choir. There is a liturgical structure of readings and homily.

There is a place in the ceremony for the blessing of children. The Chairperson of the Christian Council offers closing remarks and gives the final blessing.

I was invited to preach the homily at the 2005 ceremony. As we approach the closing of the Christmas Cycle of the liturgical year ( January 9, 2006 - The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord), I want to share the text of my homily at the Closing of the Crèche Ceremony for a final Christmas reflection.

"My Sisters and Brothers in the Lord,

The annual ceremony to close the crèche on the Brian Lara Promenade is a seasonal happening. However, the message of the crèche is not seasonal. The crèche is a symbol of Christmas truth for every day, for every Christian and for every life situation.

The word symbol is an important word in the liturgy of the Church. A symbol is any reality that by its own dynamic leads us to think about a deeper reality. Symbols are powerful because they speak to the heart not just the mind.

A message for the heart

When we look at the crèche what do we see? We see a symbol, a vivid picture of God's love for us. As we study the crèche we begin to understand the unconditional nature of God's love for us. We see humility, the self-emptying of God, obedience.

We see God's love for all of creation. The opening verses of John's Gospel (Jn 1: 1-18) make an explicit reference to creation and to the value of life that is part of creation.

If, due to worry or discouragement, we ever begin to doubt God's love for us, or the reality of God's presence to us, it is time to reflect on the crèche.

The awareness of God's love and presence is so important for a Christian that some religious communities, on the 25 th of each month, place a simple form of the crèche in their chapels for a full day to remind their members of God's love and presence.

An ethical challenge

The crèche is also a symbol of the call by God that we must love one another. Love is closely related to justice. Christmas reminds us of the respect we should have for each other, a respect that should be motivated by love.

The gospel reading speaks of God's love for creation as light - the light that guides people to God and guides them to live with love and respect in community. The gospel describes the absence of love as darkness. From our own experience we know that people who do not love live in emptiness and without meaning.

If that description of the implications of the light/darkness theme of Christmas sounds too pious to be real, consider the condition of the nation and the region: violence, death, trauma and fear everywhere. Each of those concepts is a contradiction of the message of the crèche - justice, love and peace - the spiritual values that bind a community, a nation and a region together.

The values of God's wisdom are not pious thoughts for senior citizens and young children. God's values are the bedrock of society. When these values are absent, there is violence and death. When they are present, there is peace and joy.

The call for a decision

The gospel reading tells us that many people did not accept the light and the truth is that many still do not accept the light. The negative reaction of many people to the message of the crèche gives us another insight into the nature of God's love.

God knew many people would not accept the light and the truth of Christmas, but he still sent his Son. God loved and loves those who rejected Jesus.

That type of love, unconditional in nature, is quite different from us. We are culturally conditioned to love those who love us, to be just to those who are just to us. We are told not to love those who do not love us and not to be just to those who are not just to us.

The message of the crèche challenges our cultural pre-conditioning. It says love everyone without conditions, be just to everyone without exception.

The hope of Christmas

There is a final dimension of the crèche's message that we must consider. The gospel names it: the darkness could not overcome the light. The inability of the darkness to overcome the light gives us hope . Millions of people in every era of history have accepted the message of the crèche .

Their ministry and witness passed on the tradition to us. We trust their legacy because we know that, similar to ourselves, they lived in difficult times. They changed those times with the values of the crèche.

No matter what the opposition, they continued to love, to be just, to be facilitators of peace. With God's help they led us out of the dark ages. It is now our turn to face the darkness and to do what they have done.

Conclusion

I shall conclude this reflection as I opened it: the closing of the crèche is seasonal, the message of the crèche is not. I know the times are very difficult and very dangerous.

Do not be discouraged by the darkness. I remind you that the way out of the darkness is to choose to live in the light. The more people who choose to live in the light, the stronger the community becomes. Be prudent, but do not be afraid - God is present among us.

Pray confidently and perseveringly for the nation that the message of the crèche will take root in the hearts of the people. Be encouraged by remembering that God is the Lord of history and that the darkness will never overcome the light."