For Trinitarians the three great festivals of the church year will retain an enduring appeal

But is it possible for a believer to be unmoved while listening to a Christmas rendition of Handel’s Messiah?

The piece includes words from Isaiah 53 and was originally prepared for Easter; but it is now a fixed part of our Advent calendar.

The 267 words of a short essay, called ‘One Solitary Life’, remind us of the power of the Holy Ghost to impact human life on earth. ‘One Solitary Life’ reminds us that Christmas-Easter-Pentecost are intimately linked. There are very, very many solitary lives of a different character around our urban and rural areas.

For people to attempt to harmoniously meet, and enjoy a late December day of family rest, makes sense at many levels.

When believers celebrate the Lord’s birth, they remember the Lord’s death too, and its impact on history.

It might be argued that there should be 365 Christmas Day celebrations every year, rather than only one. Colin Nevin says: ‘We are instructed to remember the Lord’s atoning death.’

For the great Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah 53 to be fulfilled, the saviour needed to first of all be born of human flesh.

I can possibly imagine a Unitarian, or a Jehovah’s Witness, favouring an exclusive focus on Easter. For Trinitarians the three great festivals of the church year will retain an enduring appeal.

James Hardy, Belfast BT5