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If I recall correctly, this is one of only two days each year when McDonald's is not open - the other day being December 25. Today is also the beginning of what we Americans have come to call "the holidays." That's our vague, intentionally non-religious way of referring to specific days set apart for giving thanks to God and, for Christians, celebrating the birth of God's Son some two millennia ago, give or take a few years.
"The holidays" is a period of about a month and that month means many different things for people. For some, it's a time of Advent prayer and preparation for celebrating the birth of our Redeemer. For others it's the make-or-break commercial season in which businesses may rise or fall. For many it's a time of family reunions, parties and making merry. For others it's a season of loneliness, sad memories and reminders everywhere of how much some have while others have so little.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty of "the holidays" comes in the depths and heights of expectations they place on us and that we have of one another. From a minister's point of view, it's particularly sad to see how a season of prayer and joy has been taken over by commerce and crass consumerism. As I've already noted in another post, what we make of these days is a far cry from their intended purpose and one wonders what Jesus makes of how we celebrate his birthday...
I know that I can tend to sound a bit Scroogish or Grinchy around "the holidays." In addition to working uphill on the faith side of what the market place has made of Christ's birthday, I'm among those who find these four weeks to be something of a burden of the heart, too. In fact, I think all of us, if we're honest, find our hearts a little heavy around this time of year - even if they are also buoyed by joy. "The hopes and fears of all the years..." don't wait for Christmas eve to settle within us.
So, let's be aware and be gentle with one another... Let's remember that not everyone finds this to be the "Hap- happiest time of time of the year!" Let's remember how Jesus entered our lives: quietly, obscurely, in poverty, away from home, in need and without a hint of red and green or tinsel and with only one "Christmas light" - a star to point the way to his peace and the healing of hearts forever... 978-369
-ConcordPastor
thank you... this is exactly what I needed today as I sit here at my desk, looking out my window at a grayish sky with cracks of sunlight as signs of, maybe... better days... hope... breaking through...
ReplyDeleteI especially like the suggestion that we should be gentle with each other, something that is often missing in this hectic season (that should not be as hectic as it is.)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say I enjoy the holidays, but I find them to be too much sadness and not enough embracing the true meaning of Christmas. I find myself slipping into a sadness as each day brings us closer to Christmas. Terrible since Christmas we should be celebrating of out Lord Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteFor everyone out in cyberland, please be aware that some of us just find the holidays very depressing and unsettling. I wish I could be different, and don't think I'm the Grinch or Scrooge, just someone who needs and wants to find peace, but rather, find that illusive. Pray for all of us who can't find the Holly Jolly Christmas, but want desperately to grab hold of the true meaning of Christmas but instead feel all the heartache we wish to lose. For some of us, this isn't just at Christmas time, but rather all year long. The happiness seems lost, but even more so this season.