Reflection by Rev. Leonard N. Peterson
Christmas is all about connections. When you stop and think about it there are many. There are the personal ones, of course. And then there are the biblical ones. The latter come from God the Holy Spirit, and they complete the picture.
The personal connections, I trust, are those happy memories of past Christmases, when we were “young and foolish” as the song says. Perhaps it was our first encounter with Santa, when we walked nervously toward the smiling gentleman with our list of wants and desires lined up in memory. Usually, a photo was taken of that event, which found its way into the family album. Today’s photos likely wind up on a phone collection.
Or maybe it was that Christmas when the one toy we really wanted stayed hidden for a while until Mom or Dad prompted us to look behind the tree.
Or maybe it was the Christmas eve you proposed to the girl of your dreams and offered her a ring that sparkled almost as much as her eyes when she said “Yes!”
I must give a nod here to the strong possibility of a possibly unhappy Christmas memory because the big day came too close to the funeral of a beloved parent. That one happened to my beloved Mom when she was a little girl.
The biblical Christmas connections are those annual scenes and memorable words that come around each year, often enriched with our personal meanings. For example, there is that visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth which highlights the Blessed Mother’s charity and concern. Something we have come to depend on also as our life moves on.
Underneath that obvious one is the deeper Scriptural message about the two baby boys awaiting their birth. These cousins will be connected more powerfully than usual. John the Baptist is connected spiritually with all the great prophets who preceded him in the Old Covenant times. John is the last of their kind, and he connects the New Covenant with the Old. John will also be the precursor of Jesus when both reach maturity.
Admittedly it can be a struggle at this time of year to stay focused on the spiritual. So many secular accumulations have come along over the centuries to our celebration of Christmas, either from our nationalities or those special family traditions that we must maintain our faith connection with the story. Our personal connection with Christ remains the ultimate reason for our joy at this holy time.
Perhaps the best help is one attributed to Stephen Covey. He said, “Always remember that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
A blessed Christmas to you and yours!
Rev. Peterson’s Reading & Gospel Summary
Reading I: Micah 5: 1-4a
David, son of Jesse, will be the future ruler of Israel. He will be the long-awaited Messiah, and he will bring peace.
Reading II: Hebrews 10: 5-10
God prefers obedience to His commands to sacrifice. It is a simple statement about our priorities as well.
The Gospel: Luke 1:39-45
Luke brings together the 2 mothers-to-be so that both might praise God. Elizabeth’s child will be the precursor for Mary’s Child.