It is true that Christmas is not always cheery and joyful in any year, because of losses and grief of one kind or another. It is also true that the weight of that disappointment rests on more of us this year, as we face a holiday marked by disruption to our usual traditions, separation from one another, and heartbreak and loss that are the reality for so many families. I will miss gathering for worship on Christmas Eve – will miss the cheery poinsettias and the glow of the candles and the joyful greetings as we venture out into the night.
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| Photo by Evelin Horvath on Unsplash |
Christmas will be different, and yet – the story is still the same. God has come to dwell with us, even in the most isolated places, even among those who are grieving. It truly is good news of great joy! In the midst of this strange and tumultuous year, I pray that God’s presence is made known to you in unexpected ways, bringing with it tidings of comfort and joy. As we prepare for a different Christmas, I found this poem by Ann Weems to be particularly fitting:
Christmas Comes
Christmas comes every time we see God in other persons.
The human and the holy meet in Bethlehem
or in Times Square,
for Christmas comes like a golden storm on its way
to Jerusalem—
determinedly, inevitably….
Even now it comes
in the face of hatred and warring—
no atrocity too terrible to stop it,
no Herod strong enough,
no hurt deep enough,
no curse shocking enough,
no disaster shattering enough.
For someone on earth will see the star,
someone will hear the angel voices,
someone will run to Bethlehem,
someone will know peace and goodwill:
the Christ will be born!
Weems, Ann. Kneeling in Bethlehem. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition.
Know that God is not confined to the manger or the sanctuary. At Christmas this year, especially, we take heart that the human and the holy will meet in your own homes, and in hospital rooms, jail cells, busy stores, and wherever God’s people are gathered. Merry Christmas!
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