Finding Christmas December 15 & 16

And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.

It is often said that it is only children who truly find the true meaning of Christmas, that Christmas is for children. Perhaps it is the children's unquenchable sense of expectancy, their belief in gifts and a giver of gifts that makes this so. They are looking at the same world adults do, but they see things that adults don't. Does this not bring to mind these words of Jesus;

And Jesus said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Mtt. 18:3

POINTS FOR REFECTION

• "Sense of expectancy" - good things are coming, hope is greater than doubt, faith is deepening, optimism outweighs the negative, my future is secure - in what ways is this true in your life or not?

• "Belief in gifts" - in times of setback and in troubled times, something greater than what is lost will be given. I will not loose. It is in knowing my own poverty is offset by confidence, that what I need will be there when it comes to pass. This is how and why I go forward?

• "A Giver of gifts" - I live in His embrace, my fears subside as I experience a peace that raises me above this world's trials - that defies this world's reasoning - how true is this in you? 

PRAYER FOR THE GIFT

Gracious Lord,

many shadows now cover the eyes of my heart.

Dark things that I have seen impede my vision. 

Once when I first experienced

a new and vibrant faith,

you gave me the eyes of a child with which to see,

and I beheld a world bathed in the light of your glory,

full of beauty and goodness and truth.

But now those beautiful eyes of faith you placed in me,

are wounded and marred by  

so much wrong that I have seen

slashing, scratching as I try to find my way

through the entanglement of my life.

Yet the voices of the Advent prophets have stirred within me.

I remember your words about becoming a child

and seeing the world as they do,

how this is the way into your kingdom.

Like the blind beggar in the gospel

I cry out, "Lord, that I might see."

Give me again that faith I once knew,

that I might see your glory once again

with the eyes of a child.

MEDITATION IN MUSIC

+