AllTheseThings

Contrasts

I hope everyone enjoyed our pre-Christmas series, I know I did.  I'm trying to take Nicodemus's words and apply them, by continuing the celebration well beyond the 25th.  It is hard though, given the world's insistence on returning to darkness after a respite of light.

My own experience seems to confirm what Justin Martyr noted as the Church's experience--a candy cane.  There is a part of light and life mixed together with a part of darkness and death.  Moments after celebrating together with family, I read of war in Somalia.  While my little ones open their presents, little ones in Africa are shot at and drown in the Gulf of Aden.  The contrast of a friend's experience of the beauty of Christmas in Newport Beach, CA with Mogadishu, Somalia--at virtually the same moment in time--is too much to fully comprehend:

From no angle is it more beautiful than when viewed from the Newport Harbor, looking inland, where one soaks in the remarkable pairing of natural and man-made beauty.  At mid-day on a sunny Christmas Eve, I found myself again in a kayak, in the Harbor's main channel, in the great open space between Lido and Balboa Islands. 

The water, smooth as glass on the windless day, shimmered with sunlight, and I stopped paddling. I will place you there...

In front of me is the entry to the wildlife estuary of the Back Bay, where herons, egrets and other birds abound.

Compared to this:

Two boats filled with Somalis and Ethiopians capsized off the coast of Yemen after Yemeni patrol boats chased one of them and fired on two other vessels. At least 17 people drowned and some 140 were missing, the U.N. refugee agency said Thursday.

The incident took place late Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden when Yemeni authorities spotted four boats smuggling 515 people approaching the coastline, the Geneva-based U.N. High Commission for Refugees said.

The two boats that Yemeni security forced fired on had just offloaded in Yemen and only smugglers were on board, UNHCR said. The smugglers returned fire, according to Yemeni officials, and two other boats still filled with refugees waiting offshore tried to escape to sea in the darkness.

Officials said one of those two boats capsized after passengers became agitated. The other boat was pursued by two Yemeni coast guard vessels and a helicopter and was forced to head back to shore. But about 300 yards from the beach, it capsized in rough seas.

Some of the missing are believed to be trapped under one of the capsized boats, the agency said.

The UNHCR said many of the Somalis claimed they were fleeing the fighting in their country between government forces backed by Ethiopian troops and an Islamic militia.

We all know which boat we'd prefer to be in; but we don't really have a choice it seems.  We must do the best we can, given peace or war, to redeem the time and bring peace to our world wherever we might be this Christmas season.  There will be the hopeless concentration camp survivors to minister to, the dear friend with cancer, and wars.  But there are also gifts that bring pure joy. 

There was a baby that came into this world, that forces us--even while hearing of wars and rumors of wars--to never lose hope.  This baby was a historical reality, not a fictional character--not, as a pastor of mine used to say:  "Once upon a time, in the land of Oz, there lived Winky, Blinky, and Nod..."  This was a real baby, who entered our world to make joy and peace, ultimately, triumph over the problems of this world.

We just need to listen to Him.  And to do as He says.  Not simply for His good--that is not why He came, is it?--but for our good, and the good of our neighbors--even those in Somalia this Christmas.  If that is our sole resolution this year, He will be glorified, in His perfect timing.

Seeing the contrast between the peace of Newport's harbor and the chaos in the Gulf of Aden reminds me that we all must bring the good news of Christmas to the world, in our own big or small ways, throughout this upcoming year.  Lets continue celebrating Christmas, and invite our neighbors to celebrate with us. 

Hope will win,

Thomas More

allthesemore@yahoo.com

Merry Christmas

Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6-7

6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
         And the government will rest on His shoulders;
         And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
         Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
    7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
         On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
         To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
         From then on and forevermore
         The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Luke 2:1-20

1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.  2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.

4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,  5in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

6While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.  7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.  9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
    14"Glory to God in the highest,
         And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

15When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."  16So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  18And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

20The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Matthew 1:18-2:12

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

19And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

20But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

21"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

22Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

23"BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."

24And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,

25but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

2:1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."

3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
    6'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
         ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
         FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
         WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'"

7Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."

9After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Christmas Gifts

It was very quiet walking along the beach near my home in San Francisco last night. It was very dark, cold, and heavy with the damp salt air blowing off the sea. It was also a lonely place; and strolling the length of the beach I saw not a single sign of Christmas.

And so it was on the night that the child Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The few residents of the village could have walked by the house, behind which was hidden a stable, without any knowledge of the event taking place only a few steps away, an event which would eventually cause calendars all over the world to be reset to recognize that moment as the center of history, so that every other event would eventually be measured by its distance before or after that night.

But what was there to see? Not very much. Among the animals and their ripe atmosphere was a poor young couple, tired with travel, trying to stay warm and protect their new child born in the most humiliating of circumstances and sleeping not even in a crib, but in the animals’ food trough.

I suspect, however, that there was one place where you could have looked and seen Christmas already announced. It would have been in the eyes of the child’s parents, especially in the eyes of his mother. The birth of every child is a miracle, but these two people already knew this one was a new kind of miracle. Both the child’s mother and her husband knew that the circumstances of this child’s birth were different, and they must have stared at that small weak infant with wonder, looking for a sign.

The most important thing for us to see in the circumstances of that first Christmas is that its gift was revealed in simple, almost hidden, terms. The most important things in life are, as any man or woman knows who has enjoyed the quiet confidence of a new friendship, the warmth of a new romance, or the generous love of a young child.

And that is why the spirit of Christmas comes so easily to us. Christmas is the only celebration I can think of in which the presentation of gifts is mutual, where we both give and receive at the same time. And we have learned through maturity that the most valuable gifts are often the ones given quietly.

We have all seen this spirit at work in the world. The parent who by some invisible act saves his or her child from having to make every mistake themselves. A friend who, without a word, begins taking care of the garden of a neighbor who has become infirm and can no longer do the work himself. A friend who brings meals to a widow who has suddenly lost her husband. These gifts are quiet but not unnoticed.

The miracle of Christmas, its essence, cannot be purchased or earned; it can only be received as a gift. Nothing that is finally important in life will ever be earned or merited – the most important things can only be received as gifts, given on their own terms. We cannot win them by gold or toil, the finest gifts we offer each other are friendship, kindness, and love; we can never merit them.

This is why those who put such effort into being among the right people or seeking in the world to be in the “right place” miss the point completely; the gifts can never be offered to them because they are too distracted trying to buy them. Like the shepherds above Bethlehem, only marginally smarter than their sheep, it takes an entire host of angels to begin to point them in the right direction.

If the spirit of Christmas, and really its meaning, is revealed only in subtle, even hidden ways, what is it that is going on at the mall? There the battle for Christmas is fully engaged, but Gog and Magog seem to be on the brink of victory. And their first victory was to change the meaning of gifts. On their battlefield we are tempted to ridiculous foolish indulgent attempts to use gifts to buy love from those who would have given it freely on any other day of the year had we simply stopped and made ourselves present to receive it. Instead we go in search of each year’s “perfect” gift. Each year a consensus forms as to which is the Holy Grail of gifts for that year, anointed not because it is especially beautiful or even useful, but because it has that year become virtually unobtainable, and therefore to obtain it is to show that we really care. The gifts themselves in the end often have no long-term value except as fodder for landfills yawning with pet rocks, pokemon, and pasta machines. In the worst case, we do not even score the right gift, and end up like the fourth wiseman at Bethlehem, denied entrance to the stable and whose name is even lost to us simply because his intended gift was fruitcake.

Then what is this message, this essence of Christmas, revealed only in simple, almost hidden terms? And if this essence cannot be won on the battlefield of the mall, and can be seen in the secular world only dimly as through a mirror, where must one go to find it?

Announced on Christmas morning for the first time were two truths: first, that our time on Earth is an infinitesimally small part of our lives, and second, that there are only two things which survive death – God’s love for us and our love for Him. Announced first on that morning, but now written by God himself on every human heart. And I believe that is the reason that every person, regardless of culture or tradition, all over the world, can on some level relate to Christmas. Each one of us who looks thoughtfully into our hearts can find that hope first offered on Christmas morning.

That this is only the first part of life means we are all still close enough to the beginning that we can always start over. That the only truly permanent thing is love received, returned, and shared means that we need to listen to, protect, and develop our heart. Perhaps that is what is meant by maturing without growing old.

One could almost believe that the star that rose over Bethlehem has reappeared because once again wise men have come to seek the one born the King of Angels. And there is still time to seek him; Christmas has not yet come. Like our elder brothers in faith, God’s chosen people, we are at this moment still waiting. There is still time. If this year has been harsh, marked by tragedy or loss, there is still time to find the joy of Christmas. If there is someone whom we have hurt, there is still time to apologize and ask forgiveness, so that when Christmas morning comes, like Ebenezer Scrooge we can throw open the windows, of our heart, and start life anew. And on that morning let us come, and be faith-filled, be joyful and triumphant, and kneel before a child who has come again to offer us unfathomable love, unconquerable hope, and eternal life.

Merry Christmas.

Thomas Aquinas

alltheseaquinas@yahoo.com

The Incarnation: Imagine the Difference

Do you think God sacrificed more in the incarnation or in the crucifixion?

Most people tend to say it was the crucifixion. I don’t know. And I don’t know that there is a “right” answer in the Bible. But my guess is that it was in the incarnation; God coming to Earth as man was a bigger shot to His system than as man being put to tortuous death.

I by no means want to under emphasize the crucifixion. But I do want to focus on the sacrifice we often overlook in the incarnation. The reason we do this is simple: We can imagine crucifixion, but not incarnation.  And, yes, I know, we can't imagine the separation from Father and Son at the crucifixion--but that separation is present too in the incarnation, isn't it?

We are all going to die. We have seen death. We are all familiar with suffering. We are all aware that innocent people are wrongly put to death even to this day. What Jesus went through on the cross is significantly worse than anything we’ve suffered, but at least we can imagine our own situations and then mentally multiply the pain upwards.  This is probably why we're told to carry our cross--follow Jesus' in death--but never to incarnate--because we can't follow His lead there.

As such, we really have no way to imagine what is involved in God becoming a man. So we cannot multiply our own experience to better understand what Advent prepares us for. We’ve seen life to death, we’ve not seen God to Man.  Because none of us have been in heaven, lived as God, and then given it all up to come to Earth as man, we have no personal point of reference for the incarnation.

We learn, however, that Jesus found the move incredibly significant. Before the first Christmas, the Father and the Son were in heaven together, equal in power and glory. Yet, with Christmas, Jesus “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ... emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”

The move on Christmas Eve from God to Man is so significant that though Jesus was God, he could no longer even comprehend equality with God. That ought to shatter any high and mighty notions men have of themselves--it certainly shows that we cannot comprehend what Jesus went through in the incarnation. It also ought to shatter notions that we can earn our way to God—we cannot even comprehend the differences, or the separation between us and Him.

Given this difference, try to imagine the first Christmas Eve in heaven. As at Gethsemane, the Son was likely contemplating the looming sacrifice: He was about to give up nearly all his power, all his glory, to be reduced to the form of a bond-servant. What was, that first Christmas Eve, stood in stark contrast to what was to be the next morning.

On Christmas Eve, he was fully God; on Christmas Day, he was a baby.

On Christmas Eve, he sat on the throne in heaven, ruling at the right hand of the Father; on Christmas Day, he lie in a manger, unable to feed without his mother’s help.

On Christmas Eve, the train of his robe filled the heavenly temple with glory; on Christmas Day, he was wrapped in swaddling clothes.

On Christmas Eve, the Seraphim stood by him, calling out to each other “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory;” on Christmas Day, he was surrounded by sheep and goats in a barn, because there was no room in the inn.

As we set out those nativity scenes--which get prettier and prettier each year, and thus less realistic--and as we look at the shepherds, and the donkeys, and the goats set by a porcelain, clean, baby Jesus, we should try to appreciate what is truly being depicted. It was not likely some idyllic, bucolic scene. The God of the universe was a helpless baby, in a cold, foul barn.  He was surrounded by people so callous that they would not even give up a room so that a laboring mother could have a bed. Appreciate the miracle of Christmas by trying to imagine the extreme contrast from the night before.

While we can imagine barns, mangers, crowded hotels, baby deliveries, goats, shepherds and the like, it is impossible to grasp the night before all that. We haven’t seen what Jesus saw when he was in heaven. So we don’t really know what that move downward was truly like. He entered into the shadow, the mere copy, of heaven. He moved from the realm of clarity to that of confusion.

Why? To bring us the message that what we have in this life is not our only hope: where we’re going will be so much better. To proclaim good news, to let us know the way from shadows, confusion, and war to light, clarity, and peace—from these light, momentary afflictions, to the eternal weight of glory.

What then is our response? Celebrate this good news that Jesus brings from the Father on Christmas Day: "It will be so much better when we are home.” But, while we are still preparing for that celebration, remember: Jesus had to go in the opposite direction, with the opposite promise from the Father: “It will be so much worse there than here, my Son.”

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Thomas More

allthesemore@yahoo.com

"May It Be To Me As You Have Said."

Over the years my life has become very much intertwined with the life of a dear girlfriend - we are prayer and accountability partners...our families have been on the mission field together for over ten years...our children are closer than cousins...we have celebrated countless holidays and family birthdays together...Six weeks ago, while on a stateside furlough, this friend was unexpectedly diagnosed with aggressive, advanced breast cancer. I have been reeling with sadness and fear, especially when I think about her four precious boys, the youngest of whom is just two years old. At a crisis time in life, when I should be the one buttressing my friend against this life storm, she continually encourages me with her amazing faith in the Lord, and in the surety that He knows what He's doing. Here's a portion of an email I received from her a couple of days ago. May it bless and encourage you this Christmas season as it has encouraged me.

"Tomorrow I go back for chemo treatment.  I'm a little anxious because I was so sick last time for so long, but it could be different this time! And it is about time for my hair to start falling out. I have the wig - it is a little blond but I do like it; but it is going to take guts (and need) to wear it and act natural.  I have a new attitude about all this though - a new life attitude.  Mary, Jesus' mother, is my new hero (not very surprising for a Christian). There she was, a teenager about to get married, and an angel appears to her and basically says that she is chosen, that her whole life is going to change and be unpredictable and she is about to suffer physical pain and possible humiliation. And her response is "I am the Lord's servant; May it be to me as you have said." Wow - what truth. I want Mary's attitude; I want to say "May it be to me as you have said."  As I've meditated on this through the week, I've been struck by the trust needed to say that.  Often at Christmas Bill and I have helped the kids think of a present for Jesus and we've written it on a heart (or in a matchbox) and put it on the tree. Well, this year, I'm giving the Lord trust.  I trust Him in His plans, in His love, and in His goodness - whether I understand or not."

Theresa Olive

allthesetheresa@yahoo.com

A Boy and His Gun - A Father and His Son

There is a rite of passage that many a boy goes through -- though not as often these days as was once common -- in getting his first gun.  Mine was a Christmas gift from my father when I was eight years old. I will never forget that morning. I had opened with the usual glee an assortment of different gift-wrapped toys, and when it seemed that the family gift exchange was done, my father stood up and said that he had one more gift for me. He went into the next room and then returned bearing a gleaming new Marlin .22 caliber rifle. I was both thrilled and intimidated, not sure what this meant or that I was old enough to own a gun yet. But my father's warm smile and evident delight in sharing this gift with me boosted my confidence. As did the excitement I felt when I first grasped the rifle. I still have an old snapshot of that scene, of me standing awkwardly in front of the Christmas tree, grinning widely and nervously while holding the rifle in my skinny 8-year old arms.

As any gun-owner knows, a .22 rifle is not that powerful, indeed only a notch or two removed from a BB gun. It is an ideal "starter gun."  Yet in that moment I think I grew up quite a bit and perhaps took the first hesitant steps on the long road to maturity and manhood.  Bolstered by my father's confidence in me, his desire to share with me one of his own favorite hobbies, and the essential sense of responsibility and even power that comes with a rifle, I realized then and there that I would not always be just a little boy.

Andrew

alltheseandrew@yahoo.com

From Turkeys to Trees

It's of course a 5-week feast-fest in the usual American market from Thanksgiving to Christmas as we process from turkeys to trees; this is what, in part, forms an increasing dissatisfaction with many over the so-called Christmas season. No little blog could hope to give vast perspective on the problem so as to generate a "solution" (we Americans love "solutions" - that's what New Year's Day is for) but a good friend did supply some reasonable ideas about reforming the Christmas season.  In fact, one of the first steps might be not to call it the Christmas Season but Advent - the traditional Christian term for the 4+ weeks preceding Christmas.  Why call it anything at all, one might wonder?  Well, it is not simply an issue of whether one has a liturgical calendar but what kind; if the Church does not supply one, secular society will.  They already have, and it includes that procession from stuffing to stocking.  (Actually, in my town, the Christmas lights began after Halloween this year!)  All this is to say that in the absence of a predominant Church liturgical calendar, the omnipresent Market has supplied its own.  It determines the pace, activities, and even the "spirit" we should have during these weeks.  It tells us how we should feel and act - usually a sloppy mixture of sentimentalism and extravagant purchases.  Advent, by contrast, suggests something strikingly different from what our catalogues do.  Traditional Anglicans, Catholics, and Orthodox consider Advent a time of fasting and prayer - a time to restrain social occasions, not multiply them.  Typically, the prayers and readings and practices of Christians during this period are sober, not festive.  The idea was to prepare oneself in the robes of repentance in order to celebrate Christmas when the time comes.  That is, when the Great Feast Day came, the celebrations could begin in earnest: remember the 12 days of Christmas? Unfortunately, all the celebration - and consternation - takes place leading up to the day and then the tree goes out the door, preferably before the 26th.  In other words, the secular calendar is precisely the opposite of the what the Church calendar prescribes, and is it any wonder that the joy of the season has vanished. When the World says "celebrate", the Church says "labor on the long journey with Joseph and Mary": when the World says "all done", the Church says, "let the celebrations begin!"  This is symptomatic, of course, not only of what occurs once a year at a major holiday; it happens every week when Friday and Saturday are wholly at odds (in the secular calendar) with what transpires on Sunday (in the Church).  These two forces are not merely difficult to square: they are wholly at odds with each other.

Nicodemus

allthesenicodemus@yahoo.com

The Word Is an Act

We know from Genesis that God spoke, and the world was created. St. John the Theologian writes in his Gospel, 'The word became flesh and dwelt among us.'

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk reflects on this truth in his private meditations.  An 18th century Russian Orthodox monk, he was the model for Dostoyevsky's character 'elder Zossima' in 'The Brothers Karamazov'. St. Tikhon lived as a bishop and monk; he was a man of prayer who had struggled with a quick temper.  And he wrote down some of his prayers.  One line is 'The word is an act.' Certainly he is referring to our Lord's Incarnation.  But he is also reflecting on how our words are also an act. As a mother of three little girls, I see how my words have an immediate effect on the girls. When I speak gently, patiently and kindly and take a sincere interest in their frolics and concerns, they in turn are more peaceful and happy.  As well, when I am short or unkind, they treat others similarly.

The Psalmist writes, 'Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Over and again I return to the difficult reality that I need the Lord to change my heart. This transformation happens through repentence, prayer and the sacraments. May this Advent be a time of meditating on the Word, His Acts, and the grace He continues to send us in this Holy Season of anticipation.

Lord have mercy upon me and help me to keep my resolutions.

Beth

allthesebeth@yahoo.com

No More Fairy Tales

Several years ago ancient history professor Paul L. Maier wrote a book for children entitled The Very First Christmas.  In it, eight-year-old Chris still likes to have bedtime stories read to him, but he has a new request for his mother.  He now wants "stories about real people and real things that really happened."  He still wants stories with happy endings, "as long as the people really lived."  Even this eight-year-old can begin to sense that fairy tales and fantasy fall short of providing a reliable basis for our own hope-filled futures.

And yet, that is what other faiths offer us.  Elsewhere Maier states, "It can, in fact, be argued that every religious system before or after Judaism and Christianity has avoided any significant interaction with history, and instead has asked its followers to believe, by sheer faith alone, the claimed revelations of its founder(s)." (In the Fullness of Time, p. xv).  Contrast that with the early verses of the Gospel of Luke, at the very beginning of the Christmas story: 

"..., it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught."

Clearly Luke thought that the historical reliability of his account was of the utmost importance.  He took pains to ensure that it would be a story about real people and real things that really happened.  No one need settle for fairy tales.

Albertus

allthesealbertus@yahoo.com

Listen to what I say!

Said the king to the people everywhere,
"Listen to what I say!"

Just one line from a well-known Christmas Carol, but exactly to the point of what we are called by the King to do at Christmas.  Listen to what I say, see what I have done, know the great gift I have given - and receive it, with great celebration and joy, realizing the peace that comes from being saved by the grace and truth of God poured out in Jesus.

Which brings me to my standard line that does more to help me celebrate Christmas than anything else: Christmas is not about giving; it is about receiving. I know, I know – in most circles an anathema. But it’s the truth, isn’t it? The reason this is difficult to accept: we don’t want to be the dependent receiver and responder, but rather the independent and benevolent giver. Sorry, but that job is already taken. Besides, you really don’t want it anyway. Our job at Christmas is to focus on reception.

It is best to follow Jesus’ lead, who lived his life listening and responding to the Father’s voice and His direction: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” And, “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 5:19 & 30 (NASB)

This is how we are to celebrate Christmas – receiving what the King has given us in Christ, pulling out the stops in celebrating the gift’s goodness and glory. Only then are we in a position to go and do likewise, following the lead of our Savior.

Listen and Receive,

Vincent of Saragosa

allthesevincent@yahoo.com