Christmas is a busier than busy season for me because I…ahem…am a Victorian caroler. Yes, it’s true! Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I, along with nine other carolers, sing our hearts out around the community, doing our best to spread Christmas hope and cheer.
In addition to creating beautiful harmonies, we dress in authentic Victorian clothing. This means top hats, ascots, and coats with tails for the gentlemen. And we ladies wear full length dresses with petticoats, capes and gloves, and bonnets. Dressing in early 19th Century costume is indeed part of the delight and presentation of caroling.
When I joined the group last year, I spent much time searching patterns and fabrics for my Victorian gown. I finally settled on a deep purple iridescent taffeta, and a black velvet cape and bonnet! After much diligence and many adjustments, the dress was finally complete before the start of the singing season. I was ready to embrace this Victorian role!
Triangle Downtowner Magazine DaveGill.Photography
Early this season, after an evening of singing, I was taken aback by the sound of ripping fabric. I had just settled into my car with crinolined skirts poufed up to the console, when my bonnet box slipped off the car seat. I impulsively twisted to catch it, causing a tear in the right undersleeve. Nooooo! I drove home with as little movement as possible and inspected the damage. The tear was partly on the seam line, but also into the sleeve fabric. I made phone calls the next morning and brought my dress to a “fashion tailor.” She wonderfully lived up to her name. She cut out the damaged section and repaired it with a fabric scrap I’d brought. What a relief! The gown was not ruined!
A week later, as I reached to pull my cape over my shoulders, I again heard the sound of ripping fabric! Once more, I returned to the tailor and she repaired the seam. She assured me it was a temporary fix; what I really needed was to replace the entire sleeve. A major reconstruction of a rather complex sleeve on an even more complex bodice. But it has to be done! Without it the gown is worthless!
Only at Christmastime can a ripped gown remind me of Jesus. For at Christmas, the Son of God intentionally came to earth to breathe restoration into the broken, the ripped apart, the hurting. He left the majesty and glory of heaven to step into the fragmented depravity of earth, offering the Way of permanent change and renewal.
The onset of his humanity was marked with rumors of brokenness and pain. By human standards Jesus was born into a marriage forced by pregnancy. Joseph and Mary fully knew He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, but they no doubt experienced lots of knowing looks and judgmental comments. It was late in her pregnancy when they were required to make the arduous and obligatory travel to Bethlehem to register for the Roman census, a walking distance of over 90 miles. They also endured the humiliation of being counted in the Roman census as Jewish people persecuted under Roman rule.
When Mary went into labor, there were no sanitary rooms at inns available to them. Instead, they were offered an unhygienic stable where guests of the inn kept their travel animals. Mary gave birth in the straw of an animal pen, and bedded down her newborn son in a dirty feeding trough. Our Messiah began His earthly existence in a cold stable amid animal sounds and smells. An extremely humble entrance for the King of Kings!
Herod, the Roman appointed king of Judea, felt threatened when he heard from traveling Magi of the prophesied birth of a new king. To protect his position and rid himself of a potential threat to the throne, he declared an edict that all young Jewish boys in Bethlehem be killed. God directed Joseph and Mary to flee with Jesus to Egypt for two years until the danger passed. But what deep sorrow occurred because of this massacre (see Matthew 2:18). And what devastation and pain Joseph and Mary must have felt for the anguish and grief many experienced in the senseless deaths of their young sons due to Herod’s fear of their own son.
The details surrounding Jesus’ birth were far from serene. Yet, His coming was completely intentional and perfectly timed by Almighty God. Jesus broke into the brokenness of earth with the awaited hope and promise of a Savior. He descended heaven to shine light and love into the pain of Roman persecution, the emptiness of loss, the shame of humiliation, and the wounding of sin. The world was desperately awaiting His rescue of broken, hurting, and lost souls.
Christmas today rings the same theme. We welcome the celebration of Jesus’s birthday, for it powerfully pronounces God’s radical love for us in intentionally gifting us a way of salvation. And yet, the beauty of Christmas falls against the reality of great brokenness and depravity in our world. We cannot close our hearts to its reality.
The 21st century also marks the mass genocide of babies, but unlike the first century, it justifies the slaughter of the unborn. Senseless terrorist attacks occur with disturbing regularity, causing fear and anguish the world over. The reality of racial targeting and discrimination persists, creating further division and intolerance within America and the world. Dictatorial rulers persecute their own people to selfishly gain personal power. The travesties in Aleppo, Syria alone are heartbreaking. The refugee crisis continues to worsen. The sex slave industry is on the rise.
The brokenness of our world cries with desperation for a Messiah.
In His great love, Jesus chose to come as Immanuel, God with us, and offer us the Way of hope and healing right in the middle of our brokenness. He is in the business of stepping into our raw hurt, fear and pain; of rescuing, giving new life, and offering healing to our hearts and souls. This is the very expression of His love for us, that He would enter all that’s dirty and broken and do a permanent work of heart restoration within us. This is where we can best know Him and the reality of His love for us.
Isaiah prophesied the restoration Jesus would bring. “There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress…the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. “ (Isaiah 9:1-2, 6)
This is a true riches to rags to riches story!
Yes, at Christmastime we celebrate the coming of our promised Savior King! Yet, we must look to the greater picture – of centering our eyes on the eternal, on His promised return, where all things temporary will pass away, and the eternal become reality.
For the work of our Messiah is a radical rescue of hearts and souls. It promises to never wear out, to weaken, to become threadbare. As we look to see Him in the brokenness of this world, as we go through trials and loss, as our bodies age and falter, as we succumb to weakness, our God-with-us Savior promises us His presence, power, and help. He assures us He will never leave us or forsake us. He promises He will come back for us to take us home to live with Him forever.
Beautifully written, Helen. It has been a joy to sing with you this season, and now to read your article! The rags to riches theme is a perfect metaphor for our identity in Christ. Thanks for singing and for writing!