I've been just sitting here for about an hour, eating some
oatmeal, drinking some coffee, reading emails and Facebook posts, and thinking
about the meaning of this upcoming night, of the gifts of time with family as
well as the gifts that are to be given and received. I get to look out windows at the birds at the
feeders, filling their bellies with seeds, finding room at the feeder to share
their space with one another, taking turns knocking seed to the ground for the
ground feeding birds and other critters to gobble up. The house is decorated with Nativity scenes,
Santas and Angels, all ready to bring the Good News of Jesus’ birth. It’s been quiet as I contemplate these
things. Something I've needed, time to
just “be” in this season of seasons.
We haven’t gotten a Christmas letter written for a couple of
years. We’ll be waiting until sometime
in Epiphany to get this year’s done.
Sometimes it is just better to wait on that project, to get the other
things done and to really take time to evaluate all the gifts and joys of the
previous months, and mention goals and dreams for the future. We have many things to think about; many
experiences lived, dreams being fulfilled just as new ones are being
formed. We are learning to live in the
‘now’ and to be thankful, even in our busy-ness, for moments of reflection, of
time spent together simply laughing over some silly thing.
When Joseph and Mary left Galilee for Bethlehem they were on
a mission to register themselves with the government. Unknown obstacles would meet them, the road
would not be easy, and travel would be arduous and uncomfortable for the very
pregnant Mary. They could look forward
to the birth of this child, but even that was filled with unknowns, dreams to
be fulfilled, and fears and longings that surround the birth of any child, let
alone the child of God. It is easy to
look at the beautiful art of Mary and Joseph with their newborn child in the
stable. We don’t often think of the mess
of birth, the smell of animals, the grime embedded in the skin of the
shepherds. We think of this birth of our
Savior with joy and Alleluias, grateful for the gift. But can you imagine the fear in the hearts of
Joseph and Mary? Are those any different
than our own?
Counting the gifts under the tree, sharing the things we
have with those we love, are ways in which we celebrate the One gift of this
night. No gift is without some sacrifice,
some risk. Perhaps that is why we give. Mary and Joseph risked everything for the
sake of the world. They sacrificed so
much to be the bearers of this gift.
O God of all creation, you gave us your Son, to be born and
raised by a common woman and man, people with emotions and lives filled with
busy-ness and responsibilities. Thank
you for Mary and for Joseph and for your trust in them to be for us the parents
of our Jesus. In our rush to be
everywhere we need to be this Holy season, help us remember the roads they
traveled to Bethlehem to give all they gave.
Amen.