We are entering a Holy Season. A season where we should be sensitive to God coming into our world. On the surface, all looks to be going as planned. The trees are up, and our houses would make Chevy Chase jealous. The 24-hour Hallmark station on XM Radio is in full swing, while Amazon boxes are beginning to obstruct our front doors. Advent is here, and yet, the joy and innocence that surrounds this season seems to feel as if it might break under the weight of social unrest, political instability, loss of human connection, and Covid-19.
In a season where hope, joy, peace, and love are the stars of the show, I have had to work hard in seeing these foundational pillars of faith take shape in our world. It’s not easy to find hope when division and tribalism take hold of our communities. It’s not easy to be joyful when so many are struggling to put food on their table or keep a roof over their heads. It’s not easy to find peace when we seem to be at war with each other and our creation. It’s not easy to love when so many seem unlovable. Add in a pandemic, and what you have is a level of uncertainty and fear that no one has ever experienced.
However, we fail to see the bigger picture because these feelings are not new for our generation. They transcend our own time and place. For in Jesus’ birth story, we see the same chaos that consumes us today. The reality is that Jesus was born into a violent political system. Beyond mangers and angels, shepherds watching their flock by night, and Magi following a star in the night sky, uncertainty, fear, and violence were the backdrop to the birth story.
One commentator once compared Matthew’s version of the birth story to an obnoxious and most unwelcome guest at your Christmas party—the kind of person who talks too loudly, spills eggnog all over your nice clean rug, and is always the last to leave. The so-called “Slaughter of the Innocents” is about as un-Christmasy a Bible passage as we could imagine. Yet innocence is what has been lost in our story and this story.
But among the chaos, uncertainty, and sadness, there is a God who remains ever-present and forever faithful. As we move through the valley of the shadow of 2020, and as we approach ever closer to the gift of Christ’s birth at Christmas, I think words written by Annie Dillard are worth remembering and repeating. In fact, I believe they have some saving graces for all of us this year.
“One of the things I know about writing is this: spend it all, … play it, … all, right away, every time.” Dillard goes on to say that “the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly is lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.”
As with writing, so with the gifts we give at Christmas time. Now more than ever we need faith, hope, love, joy, peace, cherishing honor, tender listening, comforting support, caring compassion, seeing our own tears in another’s eyes, sacred laughter.
For if we refrain from giving our gifts, we choose self and wait for something better. We limit the Spirit, blessings, and gifts that have been showered upon us. As Annie puts it, “Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water.”
Again, as with writing, so with the best gifts we give at Christmas. The gist of the Christmas story is this: God did not hoard the birth of Christ for a better place later or for another world or another time. And neither should we. In the loving gift of Christ, God gave it all and continues to give it all now, in our time, as well.
So, this Advent season, let us all share and sing and tell everyone about the gift of God’s love – wherever we are, wherever we go – along with the other best gifts we know – faith, hope, love, joy, peace, cherishing honor, tender listening, comforting support, caring compassion, seeing our own tears in another’s eyes, sacred laughter. Give them, give them all, give them now!
Youth of Geist Christian Church 