“I also think we see a relatable, human side of Mary, who too often is depicted as either a bloodless doll or who too often becomes nameless, selfless, only viewed through the prism of whose mother she is. She is relieved, and she is frustrated—and rightly so.”
“Faith, the seeing of invisible things, the author to the Hebrews called it, the seeing of a path that is not there. As I walked, I found myself struggling off-trail at times because I’d strayed, trudging through thigh-deep snow.”
“My frustration rises when I can’t find my glasses and I’ve inadvertently kicked my slippers away from me. If only it wasn’t so dark. I take a breath and realize there’s no hurry. Pausing in the room I wonder if this is one of the lessons the darkness is teaching me – to slow down.”
“This year, as we celebrated communion round the breakfast table and its creche, I realized there was one manger that did not have to be put away. And that is the creche of our hearts, where this Christ child snuggles in filled with warmth and love, and with the power of God to light our way home forever.”
“Presiding Bishop Michael Curry offers a prescription that addresses this very concerning decline participation in many of our churches and our lives. Why don’t you consider forming a small group in your congregation to explore how to change our lives to “Live and Act More Like Jesus” in 2022?
‘By God’s grace …'”
“How many sunrises I have waited for: trying to stay awake on a cross country car trip; huddled in inadequate blankets in a desert night; coiled against an intense pain I irrationally hope will ease with daylight; waiting on Christmas morning for that moment when I can go out to the living room to see what Santa brought.”
“If your Christmas this year is lonely or impoverished in any manner – be present – remind others you are here and of value. Ask for prayers. Ask for help. Give others the gift of the opportunity to be kind and generous, as Jesus directed us to be. We truly need the restoration of compassion.”
“Let’s remember to take the real work of Christmas with us all year. It is a gift that is never too small or large, the wrong color, or a duplicate of something they’ve already got. It is simply what everybody needs – every day, every minute.”
“I wonder how many times any of us
went to bed convinced we knew the right thing,
the sensible thing,
and woke up the next morning
to do exactly the opposite–
because we discovered God had different plans.”
“Sing out, O Earth—
Gathering yourself beneath the blanket of snow
With the promise of green ready to spring forth
Like a panther after its prey
Sending winds to set the dogwood blossoms dancing …”