For many of us, this Christmas is like no other. Whether we are quarantined, holding smaller gatherings, or facing the death of loved ones, the pandemic has changed our holiday season.
Most of us are mourning the loss of something; we have been much of this year. But around the holidays, those feelings can become even more intense.
At the same time, we also have things to celebrate. It might be smiling as kids open their gifts. Or enjoying a cup of coffee watching the snowfall outside our window. Maybe it’s enjoying the smell of something delicious cooking in the kitchen.
This year in particular reminds of us the tension that exists in our lives every day: death and life, sorrow and joy, loss and gain.
I have no idea where you find yourself as you read these words. You could be experiencing a Hallmark movie Christmas morning surrounded by family or you might be sitting alone.
Our world seems so unfair sometimes, with some enjoying so much and others lacking basic necessities. There are no simple solutions to the disparity and adversity we see in our world, but Jesus compels us to work towards alleviating it. Consider these words of Jesus from Matthew 25:37-40…
“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
Are you looking for Christ on this Christmas morning? He is the neighbor who is hungry, the stranger you pass at the store, the sick person in the ICU, and the prisoner sitting in prison. He is the one we often look down on or work to avoid. Jesus reminds us not to further dehumanize these people, but to help them feel more human.
Jesus’ life showed us what it means to be more human. He loved the unlovable, embraced the untouchable, and welcomed the rejected. He dedicated his life to giving of himself so that others might live more fully.
Christmas at its core isn’t about what we get, but what we give. I’m not talking about presents under a tree, but presence in the lives of others. While COVID has made this more challenging, i hope its limitations and challenges remind us of what really matters long after this pandemic ends.
There is much mourning in the world, but Christmas reminds us every day offers a new morning to the world, a chance to shine light into darkness.
There will always be the tension between darkness and light, mourning and morning. Let us be about the work of embracing both and embodying the spirit of Christmas found in the life of the one whose birth we celebrate this day.
Breaking Into Peace 