I came back to work today after taking a week vacations. Living into vacation life over the holidays I didn't read the newspaper, hardly checked FB and basically lived "off the grid" while I enjoyed my children, my family and most of all the relaxing time of no stress. It was a beautiful way to spend the holidays and I feel especially blessed I was with my family.
However, when I "came back" I realized how much I had missed, another plane disappeared and the tragic recovery; a cruise ship fire; a transgender suicide and in my own little world a parishioner in need of hip surgery / recover as well as several of my Nursing Home residents deaths. In light of all this sadness, I at first felt a bit of guilt for my joyful and enjoyable holidays.
And then I began to reflect on my own "Blue Christmas" eve service. It wasn't a popular attendance, but those that did attend had lost - one a sister-in-law and one a good friend. Others too had losses this year or were widows. I spoke of the shepherds who received the proclamation of Christ. And imagined their life prior to that moment. It was an ordinary day and on ordinary days things happen. Yes for the most part our days have rhythm and for the most part our days are not full of grief. But some days are better then others and some days are better off not remembering. Some days are "for the dogs" and other days are full of love and life we only wished they lasted forever. We do not know what kind of day the shepherds were having when they saw the angel. We only know they were ordinary people living their every day life. For some this day could have been full of wonderful things - birds and songs, beauty and love; for others this day could have been full of lost, disappointment and struggles. And yet, the angel appeared before them and offered them the great news - the light in the darkness.
For some of us the holidays were full of light and the birth of Christ just magnified that. We were with the people we loved, we were celebrating togetherness and most of all we were feeling the generous spirit of the Lord.
But that isn't the holidays for everyone and certainty for those who lost loved ones or sat with those who were dying the darkness might have been very deep. But I do hope that we can remember that Jesus' light didn't come to shine one day a year or to only brighten up our life - but instead to enter our hearts and bring this lightness to everyday. To all we do and all we are! But most of all to bring hope even when the hope seems lost. To bring light even into the darkest of our human emotions and journeys and shine for us a path to a new day.
Let us rejoice not in the day that was Christmas - Let us not curse a Christmas filled with spoils. Let us instead rejoice that Christ's light shines for us each and everyday. And that in our ordinary and plain lives, comes a greatness that can bring hope and restore our souls.
So this is for those who felt for the light switch this holiday and couldn't find it - keep searching. The angels appear to the shepherds on an ordinary day and in a ordinary place. God finds us too, wherever we are - don't turn your back on a God who so loves you and wants a wondrous relationship with you. Spend 2015 finding God in the ordinary and your life might take on an extraordinary change!
