January 1, 2006
When did the shine come off your Christmas ??
Year after year I hear people respond to the "how was your
Christmas" question with "fine - except ..." or "it was
good, until ..." And they would go into the explanation.
And for many people, the first detail of something going
wrong comes around noon on Christmas Day.
Maybe it was the WRONG gift, or a toy that broke, or
something that burnt in the oven. But (as you hear the
story) you discover it was the HINGE on which a
successful Christmas swung.
For many, it comes with the relatives ... the in-laws or the
ex's, or that uncle who never knows when enough is
enough. There is always something/someone who crashes
our cozy little Christmas feeling.
When did the warmth and comfort of that Christmas Eve
service hit head on with the reality of the world ... a reality
which was less than Christmas Card perfect?
For Mary and Joseph, reality came quickly. Probably while
they were still marvelling at the arrival of this new life.
At some point, I am sure, Mary had a meltdown. Joseph
too... as their circumstances overwhelmed their senses.
As I've said before ... that first Christmas wasn't as perfect
as we sometimes make it out to be. A baby in a manger
may SOUND cute to a people living in a southern Ontario
city, many of whom only see mangers at Christmas time.
But how many of YOU would put your newborn into a hay
filled trough that animals had been eating from?
(and I have to wonder, how many of the animals came and
sniffed around the trough, looking for food - but instead
found a baby) Or how many of them licked at the baby, or
drooled on him ... like he was some sort of new-fangled salt
lick.
How could they not ??? He was in THEIR trough?
Today IS a special Day .....
ONE - because it's the Sunday after Christmas.
And we need to keep celebrating CHRISTMAS.
Unfortunately many people pack Christmas away around
the 26th ... when they get home from the Boxing Day Sales.
But today is still part of the Christmas Season (Day 8 ....
Maids-a Milking I think, if you follow the Song).
A time when we hear the story of Simeon and Anna. And
we hear them tell of the harsh reality that awaits the baby
Jesus - the baby who only a week ago made us feel warm
and cozy and safe - even in a manger. And we realize that
the REALITY in which we live, has the power to break
into even our safest moments.
TWO - because its New Year's Day. The Day when the
WHOLE YEAR lies before us ... ripe with opportunities
and dreams. And we make resolutions and plans for the
coming year ... because it IS a new year. Last year is behind
us ... all the disappointments and imperfections are just a
memory ... ANYTHING is possible (that's how we feel on
New Years Day).
But unfortunately ... many of those
resolutions and high ideas are lost before the week is out.
And usually by January 5th, we are back to plodding along
through "the same old grind".
THREE - because its Sunday. And Sunday, is like a little
Easter each week. Because it is on THIS day, every week,
that we gather together and hear the good news - that
WITH GOD ~ ~ ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. It is
the day when we confess our wrongs and imperfections,
and receive absolution (forgiveness) - The promise that
what is past IS past. That what happened BEFORE will
not damn us or drag us down from here on.
And that even when we stray from the path, or when our
humanity causes us to make mistakes ... we can always
start again.
THAT is what we celebrate each and every Sunday.
As we gather week after week, we celebrate the good news
of what this baby became (what Simeon and Anna
professed early on). What this baby DID for us when he
grew. And the impact that all of this had on our lives, and
on our eternities.
So MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!
And JOYFUL SUNDAY !!!
May all three of these celebrations fill your life (and your
world) with joy and hope, and be rich with opportunity.
