Divine Messengers

I have a nativity set that sits above my fireplace. It includes the baby Jesus, his mother, Mary, his earthly father, Joseph, the shepherds, their animals, and the wise men. As Christians, Jesus’ birth holds a special place in our hearts. We believe that God humbled God's self by choosing to be vulnerable and live among us. By dwelling on earth, God made God's self and God's love fully known to all of creation. We share our collective memory of Jesus’ birth with all who have come before and will come after us. We believe that on Christmas God bent down and kissed the earth with God's hope, peace, joy, and love. At Christmas we celebrate God's revelation of God‘s self, announced by the angels: “Do not be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. “Love is born today.” At Christmas, we commit to making the angel’s hallelujahs and glad tidings our touchstones to hold onto throughout the year when we are afraid, anxious, or discouraged.

Recently, I looked up and saw that all the figures in the nativity on my mantel were looking away from each other. When I dusted or picked up the remote my hand must have either turned the pieces around or inadvertently brushed up against them. They were no longer looking at Jesus. It struck me that this happens in life when we get distracted and turned around. One moment we are focused on the transcendent and the next something else has our attention. As much as we want to hold our gaze on the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christmas, something else competes for our attention. Our awareness that nothing can separate us from the love of God is lost and our guiding light is no longer in view. The north star that travelers search for to lead them home is out of sight. 

After thinking long and hard about the lost figures in my nativity set, I came to the conclusion that rather than resolving to do the impossible and to not turn my gaze away from all that Christmas represents, I will open to the outpouring of hope, peace, joy, and love at Christmas in a myriad of ways so that after the wrapping and the decorations are put away it is there in my heart, leading me homeward.

During this season of anticipation when Christians remember the birth of Jesus reflected out in the world as hope, peace, joy, and love, may we stop grasping for touchstones and be open with our whole selves to the holy, the mystery, the transcendent, that awed the shepherds and the visitors from the East on a dark night long ago. May the relationship with God that sits in your heart and burns bright at Christmas give light to the rest of the world all year long.