This Christmas I found myself reflecting upon the mystery of the Incarnation, the idea that God would chose to become human and enter the world as a dependent little baby, born into humble conditions. As a human being, Jesus experienced all the human emotions and sensations, the joys as well as the suffering that are simply part of the human condition. What a mystery to celebrate!
Since my last update I have traveled a bit. First I visited sisters in my congregation in New Orleans and now visiting my family in Rhode Island. It is wonderful to be able to connect with so many people, in person. I am grateful for the people in my life and that this year I am able celebrate this feast with family. There have been good times, important conversations, tasty food, and pleasant surprises.
Although I was not really dreaming of it, we actually had a white Christmas! While I was at church with my parents this morning, it started to snow. It was not enough snow to create problems with travel plans, just enough to be pretty. It started to melt soon after the short storm passed. I snapped a few pictures to share. (I had every intention of uploading a few of those pictures and wasted a lot of time attempting to do so, but despite seemingly flawless wifi, and constant reliable electricity, I am having technical difficulties uploading the pictures from my camera.) What a contrast from the climate I was in last week at this time!
The hardest part of being here in the US at Christmas, especially as I am aware that last year at this time I was in Burkina Faso, is the amount of stuff! Today I was at first quite happy to see very young relatives opening gifts, because the children seemed to be enjoying themselves so much. Some of the toys they received are pretty cool and the clothing was adorable. The gifts kept coming and coming. After a while I felt a bit of ambivalence as I thought of the children at the orphanage and those in Haiti and elsewhere in the world who are even less fortunate than them. For Christmas last week, at the orphanage each child was given a gift, typically an article of clothing and maybe a simple toy like a jump rope. Generally the children at the orphanage were quite happy with their simple gifts. In reality most of the children at the orphanage probably received more than many of their young neighbors and relatives who do not reside at the orphanage. According to a statistic that I heard very recently, "3.1% of the world's children live in America, but they own 40% of the toys consumed globally (UCLA.)"
It is a beautiful concept that in honor of the gift of Jesus, we exchange gifts with those we love. Yet, I am uncomfortable when I look at the great surplus of goods that some of us have (myself included) and the lack of basic necessities experienced by so many of our brothers and sisters in the world. I wonder, how Jesus would react to the way that many of us in mainstream US culture (myself included) now celebrate the incarnation? My challenge to myself, in celebration of God taking on human form, is to do my best, to embody the attributes of God. I desire to en-flesh in concrete ways, God's love, hope, peace, justice, inclusivity, truth, humility, and mercy. Without a doubt I will fall short thousands of times each day, but I intend to try. Let us all try; that may be what the world is truly hungering for.
I wish each of you Love, Peace and Joy and all of the graces of this Christmas season. Many blessings!
I wish each of you Love, Peace and Joy and all of the graces of this Christmas season. Many blessings!
Beautifully said. It is always good for us to reflect on ourselves with observations such as these especially since we seldom encounter or personally relate to those who are in need. . We are so accustomed to our stuff and have so much of it that we don't even realize that we have an over abundance. We consider it our right to have all that we have. We deserve it; we worked for it. And what do we do with all that stuff? We make larger houses, rent storage facilities and on and on. I remember a George Carlin skit which mocked all our stuff; it can still be found on youtube. You might want to check it out. Merry Christmas Sister Kathleen and many blessings of peace, love, joy and good health in the new year!!!
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