Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #49
December 11, 2023
A Christmas Play Transcending Language and Culture
For thirty-nine years, as pastor, I have been part of Christmas plays in various congregations. Prior to Pastoring during these plays, I participated in many others as a child. I played various roles. I was a drummer boy, an angel, a shepherd and one time a Magi.
In all the plays that I have participated in, none of them have gone smoothly. There is always something that goes wrong. It is a joke among clergy that Christmas plays are “Christmas Disasters.”
I remember one year when half our cast caught the flu. We postponed the play for a week. The following week, the other half of the cast had flu symptoms. By the time everyone was healthy, Christmas had passed.
Before one performance we lost the doll who was to be baby Jesus. We searched but never found it. Instead of a baby Jesus doll, we had a rolled blanket, wrapped in another blanket, pretending to be a baby.
I remember the first Christmas play that I coordinated as a pastor. It was in 1984 in Hoboken. Most of the Sunday School was composed of immigrants from Northwest India. Some spoke English better than others. Being a director was difficult with such a cast, but it seemed like the most authentic play that I have been a part of. The complexions of the children from India, was darker than mine. They probably had complexions closer to that of Jesus. They looked more Middle eastern than Anglo children did.
Yesterday was the last Christmas play that I have been a part of. It was a little different, and it was magnificent. Some of our cast members were natives of this country. Others came from Ecuador and Columbia. One is bi-racial, Anglo and African American. We came from different cultures and races. Not all of us could speak to one another as we had language difficulties. The music and the art transcended our cultures and languages. We all could understand the Christmas story when we looked at the manger. The music spoke to all of us, even those who couldn’t understand the lyrics. The love of God in Christ has a way of rising above differences.
The first nativity play that we know of was presented by St. Francis of Assisi. He presented the story for people who were illiterate and were not able to read the Bible story themselves. Art, drama, and music communicated the story of God’s love in ways that language and culture cannot. Yesterday in church we continued St. Francis’ tradition. The story of Jesus, and God’s love, is for everyone. I am pleased to be part of this tradition begun by St. Francis, as well as having the chance to welcome new immigrants to our congregation and join with them in sharing the gospel of Christmas.
I have participated in dozens of Christmas pageants. This one was the best. God blessed us richly with newcomers who have differences but are united in the love of God in Christ. How much better can Christmas be. Difference become meaningless when we focus on Jesus. I can’t help but think that what we did was a little sliver of what Jesus meant when he prayed that his disciples would all be “one.”
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