Nutcracker
(Is.9:1-7; Titus 2:11-14; Lk.2:1-14)
Every year at this time we see so many Christmas decorations, from Christmas trees to Christmas lights, nativity scenes and even Nutcracker dolls. What do they all mean?
The Nativity scenes, of course, tell the story of Jesus’ birth in a humble stable – and this, of course, is what Christmas is all about. The Christmas lights represent the angels who lit up the night sky for the shepherds (and our candy canes symbolise the shepherds’ crooks).
The stars reflect the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Wise Men from the East, (and Santa reminds us of the three gifts they gave Jesus).
And the Christmas Trees? St John Paul II said that the Christmas tree symbolises Jesus, who is always with us. The Christmas tree, he said, is the evergreen Tree of Life in the Book of Genesis (2:9). Evergreens represent undying life, and eternal life is exactly what the resurrected Jesus offers us.
Our circular wreaths represent God himself, for God has no beginning or end.
And the Nutcracker dolls? Traditionally, they remind us of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet, and the story of a young girl who gets a Nutcracker doll for Christmas. But that’s just a fairytale.
There’s a much better story that Nutcrackers point to. A true story.
Mother Julian of Norwich was born in England in 1343. She was a mystic who spent her life praying and meditating. When she was 30, she got very sick and as she slowly recovered, God gave her several visions.
One vision was of a hand holding a little hazelnut, as round as a ball. ‘What is it?’ Julian wondered, and God replied: ‘That is everything that has been made.’
She spent the next 20 years wondering what that could mean, and she wrote down her thoughts in a book called Revelations of Divine Love. It’s the oldest book ever written by a woman in English.
Julian wondered how something as small as a hazelnut could even exist, and how it doesn’t just vanish because it’s so small. Then she realised three things about it. It exists because God made it, God loves it and God looks after it.
God must have made that nut, she thought, otherwise it wouldn’t exist at all. God must also have loved it to have created it. And God must still be looking after it, because it continues to exist.
Julian then realised that this applies to all of God’s creation, because the world is full of things which have been created and sustained by God’s love.
But things don’t always stay the same, she thought, because God allows them to change. Small things like hazelnuts can grow into big trees, and even big trees eventually grow old and decay.
That’s why, Julian says, we shouldn’t look for peace and joy only from created things. We tend to put all our faith and hopes into things we can see, hear, taste and touch. But created things cannot give us true contentment when they are always changing and only partially reflect the beauty of their maker.
If you want lasting peace and joy, Julian says, you must get as close as you can to God himself, for he is always wise, always good and he never changes. He is the source of all life, and he wants us close to him.
That’s why Jesus came to us as a baby all those years ago. Baby Jesus, the Son of God, small and fragile and not much bigger than a hazelnut, came to us seeking love.
Jesus grew up and tried to teach us about life and love. Then he returned to heaven, hoping that we would follow him. And in the meantime, he left his Holy Spirit behind to support and encourage us.
Sometimes, even the smallest, most humble thing can be a window into the mystery of God. When you study it closely, you can get a wonderful sense of God’s almighty love and power.
The English poet William Blake wrote about this in his poem, Auguries of Innocence:
To see a world in a grain of sand, and a heaven in a wild flower: Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.
Mother Julian of Norwich found God by studying a tiny hazelnut. She learnt how important it is to look beyond the surface of things, because all of creation reflects God’s love and care.
Today, we’re all invited to get close to God by loving little baby Jesus. He is our God who loves to be embraced and enjoyed.
The next time you see a Nutcracker doll or a hazelnut, remember baby Jesus.
Even the smallest things can teach us about God.