A Penitent Blogger
A keeper
The shopping rush of Christmas is over (until tomorrow, when the rush of returns and exchanges begins).
But when all is said and done, how long will what we have received, given, bought or sold really last?
Today many families gather, often love but sometimes with bickering, while others will be far from any loved one, either because of military service, estrangement, or other circumstance.
But is Christmas just a time for the warm feelings of family ties?
Today many, many people will go to Church, some for the only time this year (except perhaps for Easter, weddings, and funerals).
What do any of us take away from this celebration?
In the midst of all the rushing and gathering, whether we celebrate Christmas in a traditional way or not, there is a special verse to remember from St. Luke's account of the Nativity that is read during Christmas Masses at Dawn:
But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart.
Mary does this after hearing the report of the shepherds: illiterate men with dirty feet who have seen angels from God.
In the rush of giving and receiving, it is important to remember that more valuable than any material object is the heartfelt care and love we give one another.
We must keep these things and ponder them in our hearts.
In the complexity of family and human relationships, it is important to remember that we are at our best when we do not let any hurt feelings keep us from always reaching out with kindness, patience, and true Christian charity to those around us and even to those from whom we feel estranged (for "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" - Romans 5:8).
We must keep these things and ponder them in our hearts.
Finally, while we may not fully appreciate everything that happens in Church and we might not feel good about particular shepherds, we are only hurting ourselves if we do not let our minds be open to what God is trying to say to us through this celebration, if only through this or that beautiful image, that intriguing thought, that lovely song, that devout parishioner, that sacred space, or that breaking of the bread.
We must keep these things and ponder them in our hearts.
But when all is said and done, how long will what we have received, given, bought or sold really last?
Today many families gather, often love but sometimes with bickering, while others will be far from any loved one, either because of military service, estrangement, or other circumstance.
But is Christmas just a time for the warm feelings of family ties?
Today many, many people will go to Church, some for the only time this year (except perhaps for Easter, weddings, and funerals).
What do any of us take away from this celebration?
In the midst of all the rushing and gathering, whether we celebrate Christmas in a traditional way or not, there is a special verse to remember from St. Luke's account of the Nativity that is read during Christmas Masses at Dawn:
But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart.
Mary does this after hearing the report of the shepherds: illiterate men with dirty feet who have seen angels from God.
In the rush of giving and receiving, it is important to remember that more valuable than any material object is the heartfelt care and love we give one another.
We must keep these things and ponder them in our hearts.
In the complexity of family and human relationships, it is important to remember that we are at our best when we do not let any hurt feelings keep us from always reaching out with kindness, patience, and true Christian charity to those around us and even to those from whom we feel estranged (for "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" - Romans 5:8).
We must keep these things and ponder them in our hearts.
Finally, while we may not fully appreciate everything that happens in Church and we might not feel good about particular shepherds, we are only hurting ourselves if we do not let our minds be open to what God is trying to say to us through this celebration, if only through this or that beautiful image, that intriguing thought, that lovely song, that devout parishioner, that sacred space, or that breaking of the bread.
We must keep these things and ponder them in our hearts.
posted by Penitens | 1:36 AM
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