Christmas 2011

As we prepare to celebrate the Christ-mas, the spirit of generosity seems fueled by a sense of urgency we do not seem to feel any other time of year. This quickening may be due to the large numbers of people being moved by the spirit, amplified even more by advertising designed to stimulate consumer spending.  In spite of the commercial aspects of the holiday celebration it is a wholly magical time.

All too often, we let ourselves become offended by those that appear to make merchandise of the spirit of our Lord. We can, if we wish, make a case for the increased celebration many of the commercial activities bring to the season. We can, if we wish, make a case for the bounty the increased spending brings in to the lives of our brothers and sisters. We can, if we wish, focus on the frantic profiteering that accompanies the Christmas celebration. The choice is entirely ours to make.

The holiday is about love to one another, one person at a time, through the spirit of gentle-loving- kindness. If we are not responding in a manner consistent with the holiday spirit, it is not the fault of those that appear to have turned our celebration in to a commercial activity. We are free to find fault with anything we wish but if we dwell upon this, we are likely to miss the myriad of blessings that fill the holiday to overflowing.   

Through an act of unimaginable grace our Jesus showed us God in human form. The miracle is not so much that He became one with God but that we, the children of divinity, were shown our destiny.  It is for us that our Jesus walked the earth that we may be transformed by his life. He was no more divine than we are, but he simply believed he was created in the image and likeness of our Lord.

We are gods in the making, works in progress, and this is certainly a cause for celebration. Our precious Prince showed us our destiny, he promised to lead the way, and made it possible for us to follow. The spirit of the Christmas season is one of gentle-loving-kindness, and it is our heritage to express it in all forms.

May the holiday season quicken the spirit of gentleness, of love, and of kindness within each of us, that we may awaken the Christ spirit in the hearts of all of those with whom we have contact.