I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas day. Merry, happy, and blessed Christmas to you all.
This is the day we choose to celebrate the key moment in our faith, the coming of God into the world and our lives. This is the ultimate gift, Emmanuel: God with us! This gift, salvation and the opportunity to live in the kingdom of God, now and forever, comes wrapped in the love of God delivered with the courage of a fourteen year old girl.
All of creation held its breath when Gabriel came to Mary. Would she say, "I am the servant of Adonai, let it be as you have said" or respond as well she and we might, "Are you nuts! I am NOT doing this." The Gospels record her decision, and in doing so tell us that she had a choice. So do we all.
What is your choice this Christmas day? Will you live in God's kingdom of love, with arms outstretched in welcome to all, or will you say, no? Will you say, God loves all, or lack the courage of a young girl and draw boundaries around your love and care?
We have a choice just as Mary and Joseph did. They accepted God's love and command to love and care for each other and the baby we celebrate today. We are called to do justice and love mercy. We too have a choice.
Some of us have made the choice, preferring to use Christmas to decry love, defend male privileged, and preach the sanctity of boundaries. Others, the ones we call saints, have a simpler theme. We look at the manger, and remember the promise that is fulfilled there, "My house shall be a house of prayer for ALL people."
Oh come, let us adore Him!
Happy Christmas!
This is the day we choose to celebrate the key moment in our faith, the coming of God into the world and our lives. This is the ultimate gift, Emmanuel: God with us! This gift, salvation and the opportunity to live in the kingdom of God, now and forever, comes wrapped in the love of God delivered with the courage of a fourteen year old girl.
All of creation held its breath when Gabriel came to Mary. Would she say, "I am the servant of Adonai, let it be as you have said" or respond as well she and we might, "Are you nuts! I am NOT doing this." The Gospels record her decision, and in doing so tell us that she had a choice. So do we all.
What is your choice this Christmas day? Will you live in God's kingdom of love, with arms outstretched in welcome to all, or will you say, no? Will you say, God loves all, or lack the courage of a young girl and draw boundaries around your love and care?
We have a choice just as Mary and Joseph did. They accepted God's love and command to love and care for each other and the baby we celebrate today. We are called to do justice and love mercy. We too have a choice.
Some of us have made the choice, preferring to use Christmas to decry love, defend male privileged, and preach the sanctity of boundaries. Others, the ones we call saints, have a simpler theme. We look at the manger, and remember the promise that is fulfilled there, "My house shall be a house of prayer for ALL people."
Oh come, let us adore Him!
Happy Christmas!
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