Monday, December 24, 2018

Dear God,

Christmas Eve...that wondrous night that reveals God!  All Advent I wait with anticipation but yet, you come, each day you visit me in the dark early morning when I first rise.  With my Christ candle burning, I pull out the characters in the Christmas story and place them in the table near the manger.  I listen to my circle of friends, authors of several books I read in devotion, meditate, pray and wonder in awe.  Each morning so beautiful, so mysterious.

But Christmas Eve, aaahhh, my favorite night of the whole year, I wait with great anticipation expecting nothing more than the great opportunity to worship the Lord of my faith.  But, you, O Lord, you always give me a precious gift, one I cannot make, manipulate or dream.  You reveal yourself and I fall into your majestic hands.

Late this afternoon I went to the school, the site of our new church, for our annual Christmas Eve worship.  I arrived early and sat listening, praying and quietly meditating alone on the beauty of the make-shift stable as others made their way to their seats.  The room filled quickly and the worship started/  The hymns and carols were so inspiring and touched my heart.

It was during Holy Communion that the mystical moment came.  Our resident intern stood just behind the holy family, the tiny new baby quietly squirming in his mother's arms.  He stood smiling as individuals and families formed lines, walked by the holy family and took communion.  As I watched from my seat, the veil lifted and I saw.  The baby was the Jesus of long ago but the minister was the Jesus of today.  As people came, he watched and smiled, turning to look at both sides.  At one moment he looked like the smiling Jesus offered in contemporary Christian gift shops.  He is the Jesus of the present smiling, filled with joy at the sight of pilgrims coming forward in faith to receive both the gift of the baby and the holy bread and wine.  Tears formed and slipped down my face.  It was the moment, yet another mystical moment that happens every Christmas Eve night not because I am special or honored but because I long and my heart, mind and soul are open and you come, oh yes, you come.

Holy, holy, holy
are you
my God.
Blessed are you,
God of Great Faith.
Thank you
for the blessing
of savior,
of faith
hope and mystery.

Love, Andrea