We gather

We gather
to give thanks for my 25 years.

Monday, December 13, 2021

No Ho Ho?

Santa Claus in Rome (Matteo Nardone - Guardian - Dec 2021)

My motto at this time of year during during an ongoing pandemic is - 
"Christmas matters.  No matter what, Christmas is coming."  

Nothing can stop Christmas - neither pandemic, disaster, loss nor disbelief.  I am not being naive, nor selfish, nor insensitive, when I say this.  It is actually, just the opposite, because my stance is based on a primary premise that Christmas is neither defined nor captured, by a society ruled by consumerism nor individualism; nor by a world tearing itself apart.  Still, I sadly acknowledge that a failing world has had its powerful influence over Christmas.  This does not diminish Christmas.  Rather it motivates me, for the sake of joy and goodness flourishing in our world, to uphold Christmas more than ever.  

I was brought up on Christmas.  Growing up in my family, it was that time of the year, when I expeerienced excitement and expectation, fun and coming together, givng and receiving.  As I look back, they are all themes for nourishing and building a wholesome life, a holy life.   

The question is often asked - Do you believe in Santa Claus?  Well, why not?  As named by a Catholic diocese in Italy, his story speaks of  "giving, generosity, sharing", important themes of Christmas.  Why then be mean and deny Christmas, or worse, give it a bad name with our loss of faith or focus?   

Christmas touches into mystery, the mystery of life, the mystery of God.  We ask, "How can this be?"  Simply, it can be, and is, even during a pandemic and whatever strikes us along the way.  God is truly mystery.  We will never understand, but God always will be with us, no matter what.  "God is stranger than we know, stronger than we feel, weaker than we think, wider than we imagine." (Graham Kings) 

As Cardinal Bo shares in his 2021 Advent Message to his suffering people in Myanmar: 
"The manger of Bethlehem ultimately won over the might of Rome.  Let that be our hope."

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