Christmas is flashy, noisy, busy .. and hidden, silent, still. It is, for a child.
It is, for you. In the ancient tradition of the Christian church, on Christmas Eve it is:
Candlelight and singing
Oratory and prayer
Meditation and reflection
Evening aglow.
.. re-presenting life from God:
A tiny hand reached out
Needing nothing, offering everything
Desireable and good.
.. a divine invitation to everlasting childhood:
Source of heavenly mercy giving
Enriching joy we were made for
Experiencing the world with.
Christmas is a man made celebration, of what some know as God’s:
Infinite
Accepting
Mankind’s
Woes
Incapacities
Tasks
Hatred
Yet
Offering
Unlimited life and hope and peace and joy and love.
What is Christmas? For me, it is all of the above. But this year, after the sudden death of my mom on Dec. 10 — as I am missing her, and thinking of my dad, 4,500 kilometres away, missing his best friend, and wife of 58 years — of all the above, one line means the most to me. How about you? Is there one line in the above that stands out for you? Let me know if you like.
There are so many tones, and notes that Christmas can sound.
This year, this Christmas Eve, I will be focusing on joy.
I can’t speak for what the other Christian congregations in the Oceanside Ministerial will focus on, but I can promise … each has something from God .. for you.
Pastor Craig Tufts, Our Saviour Lutheran
Church, Parksville.
