Great time

There is a wonderful selection of readings over the Christmas season. Take your pick or read them all Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Titus 2:11-14, Titus 3:4-8, Isaiah 9:2-7, Isaiah 62:6-12,Isaiah 52:7-10, Hebrews 1:1-12, John 1:1-14, Luke 2
There are a couple of reflexions for Christmas here.
It is such a wonderful time that there is much to think and pray about
and to act upon.


The cohort you contact

Most of us have a group
with whom we can clearly identify.
It probably includes 
our family
our neighbours,
those with whom we work,
our friends,
those who interest us,
and some others we like or are fascinated by.


As we read the Christmas stories
we come upon a lot of these people
the family...Elizabeth and  Zechariah,
the local yokels...commonly called
the shepherds
and the wierdos
or as we know them
The Wise Men.
We all live with a diverse group of people.
Christmas invites us to connect.


And the connection 
is interesting, fascinating and weird!!


Might this be what Christmas is about for you and me
The people we are stuck with!
Those who won't let us go!!
And those who we won't let go!!!


I invite you during this season to sneak into a corner
perhaps you are feeling tired
or overwrought
and just run through 
your list!!!


At the very least
if we spend a few minutes connecting
with real people
we escape something of the madness of the season.


That's the very least!!!
We also connect with what seems to be
the Christmas truth.
Christmas is not really about 
"How do you cook a goose?"
(something that has rather fascinated  me this Christmas)
But we live in a decadent and safe (relatively) world.
But the people,
the brothers
the friends
the neighbours.
Well they are not so neat and tidy.
They'll not all line up
and make themselves presentable.
Can we rejoice in this?
Rather than regret it?
Jesus is rather good at this.
he seems to accept difference
and love the unlovely.
Can we this Christmas 
thank God that Joe is gay
that Mary and Fred have decided to build a house
whoops...they're not married 
and Tonto Junior is on  the way


Let's rejoice that Christmas invites us
to just simply love those 
who God has given us!!!
Not nice, not neat
not even logical
But my brother, my friend,
my curious neighbour
diffficult.....whoever
And the Word......was made flesh 
and dwells among us.   AMEN