Christmas is a time when families gather together for turkey and presents and other traditions. Airlines jack ticket prices and gas stations raise fuel prices because this is peak traveling season.
My family always gathered at my grandparents house (on my dad’s side) for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Lately, we’ve moved back to the old farmhouse (now my uncle’s) for our Christmas celebration, where my aunt and her husband take care of the turkey while the rest of us play cards or nibble on nuts and chocolates.
Over the years, our traditions have changed. Once upon a time, we read the Christmas story before opening gifts. Most years, Grandma bakes a Christmas pudding, which we drown in lemon or butterscotch sauce and eat with a smile (though some of us don’t like it).
A few years ago, we started doing a Chinese gift exchange—each of us chooses a random, silly or useful gift that any of the other relatives might like and then on Christmas morning we take turns opening and fighting over presents. It’s usually good for some laughs as one or two presents prove to be the most popular and change hands several times before ending up with the lucky person who gets to take it home.
Among the traditions, dinner, and family fun, however, there can sometimes be tension. Families don’t always get along perfectly and so preparations for Christmas may come with trepidation about family members who have caused hurt in the past. We might put on happy faces, manage to avoid that person in the crowd of people gathered around the tree, try to ignore the hurt or the distance or whatever happened that makes it hard to see that person again. Or maybe we can use this time of joy as a time for reconciliation.
Jesus came into this world so many Christmases ago to reconcile us to God. Saint Paul tells us,
“So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived! All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:17-18 CEB).
As I think about the family we’ll see next week, I’m praying for reconciliation. I’m praying for a heart of forgiveness. I’m praying that the joy of Christmas will surround us and give us the strength to look past old hurts and to at least start the healing process.
I know maybe that’s all a big dream, but I believe God can work in my heart and in the heart of the people with whom I wish to reconcile. Maybe this Christmas will be the year that we can truly celebrate Christ’s birth as God’s work of reconciliation with us.
Check out the other posts in my Advent 2011 series:
First Sunday: Preparation
Second Sunday: Anticipation
Third Sunday: Rejuvenation
Fourth Sunday: Reconciliation
2 Comments
Anonymous – my actual writing time is limited, so I spend a lot of time thinking about what I want to write while washing dishes or folding laundry, and then when I get to the computer, I just start writing. Other times, I write a blog post (or a story or article) and let it sit a day or two before coming back to revise and rewrite it now that I’ve had a few hours to let my thoughts and ideas take shape. One of my writing profs also suggests starting your writing time by reading – grab a short story, read it, then jump into writing, as the story can often kick-start your creativity. 🙂
First off I want to say wonderful blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing. I’ve had a hard time clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out there. I truly do take pleasure in writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas or tips? Many thanks!