Christmas on a Sunday feels like cheating a bit. It eliminates the need for a special Christmas service during the week. On the other hand, I can think of few things to get at the depth of sabbath more than celebrating Christmas at the same time. Just as the shepherds came to honor Jesus, so do we when we come to church, especially on this day, where the church acts as a manger. It makes it easier to keep god in Christmas this day.
Monday We have a bit of a letdown after Christmas. The compartment of peace where we place Christmas is over. Some much time preparing seem to flee at the flick of an eye. I remember my mother getting upset that her two greedy sons could make short work of her careful wrapping.Take an imaginative moment and consider what the day after would be for Mary and Joseph on the day after the Nativity. What were their hopes and fears? Now they started to get adjusted to having a baby with them. What adjustments do you think a newborn brings?
Tuesday-I want to reflect a bit more on the miracle of the Incarnation. God is invisible, so to have the fullness of God take shape and form in a baby is all the more astounding. When we say that the fullness of God was present in Jesus, what do we mean? At the same time, we say Jesus emptied himself of power. What power, do you think? Where do you think the most tension existed in the divine and human “natures.?” What allowed Jesus to hold them together? Paul says that Jesus emptied himself of equality with God. How did that work, do you think?
Wednesday-Maybe by now you are growing weary of parties. It seems that we can take only so much celebration. I resist forced celebration as much as a sense of being forced to do most anything, I suppose. I often think of the line that art invites us to a response, and propaganda tells us what to feel. What are your favorite and less-favored elements of parties? How do you approach them, and with what expectations? To what degree should worship resemble a party?
Thursday- Christmas season can be a series of tests for love. “If you love me, you would get me this.” Worse, if you love me you would have known what I want.” Can I measure your love by the type of present I received? Do we put the love of God to similar tests? If love is given and accepted, does it require tests? If so, could we ever pass them all? Christmas then stands for the unconditional giving nature of God.
Friday -We move to have some time to think of the Wise men/Kings of song and story.The basic story has been blurred as the early church linked the gifts to Ps. 72 and Is. 60, so the Magi become kings. The early church blended the accounts with their mention of bringing gifts from afar. We attach various meanings to the gifts, but Exodus and the building of the tabernacle would suggest that they were all fitting for the presence of God.
Saturday, New Years Eve-I always liked the standard, What Are You Doin’ New Year’s Eve.” Other than Valentine's day, I don;t know if any day has the social pressures of this one. with some trepidation, I ask us to consider adding a spiritual request. Please consider making a spiritual resolution, after examining the assets and weaknesses in the spiritual quest. Indeed this is a good time of year to go over the past year and note its dimensions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment