12-08-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
December 8, 2024
Are you ready for Christmas? Today marks the Second Sunday of Advent, and if my calculations are accurate, we only have 16 shopping days left before Christmas. I’m curious to know if you’ve ever experienced a sense of complete readiness for Christmas when you actually got up on Christmas morning. Some of you might be able to answer affirmatively to that question without hesitation, even suggesting that it happens most every year. However, I would guess that a larger percentage of people are still waiting to experience it even once. Of course, I am not simply speaking of the decorations, food, and gift buying. How many of us have done the necessary work within ourselves for us to be ready for all that Christmas has to offer? I would suggest we all have work to do, though never being hard on ourselves when we are not successful. Every year, immediately after Christmas, I jot some notes that go on my calendar for mid-November the following year. In those notes, I identify areas where I wish to seek improvement. One of the notes that appeared on my calendar a few weeks ago from last year said, “Take your time and appreciate each small glimmer of light, whether it’s a candle or the lights on a Christmas tree. Make sure to pause long enough to express gratitude. Pause long enough to be reminded of light’s power to push back on the darkness.” So far this year, I have had some really good moments when time has slowed down as appreciation has given way to joy for the power of light, specifically the one we know as the light of the world.

Holy God, Source of Light and Life and Love, I express my gratitude for the way the story of Christmas can capture my imagination, engaging me in ways it has not previously done so. Grant me the wisdom to gain fresh perspectives and  insights into the profound significance of Jesus’ birth. Amen.