Five golden rings

Dearly Beloved,

Grace and Peace to you.


In the rest of rest of the world Christmas is over (it runs from Thanksgiving to Dec. 25). Notice that people are already wishing you a happy new year. But for us Christians, it's only the fifth day. Five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree. We've got a lot of maids a-milking and lords a-leaping yet to go. For most of the world, Christmas is a gaudy flash, and it's over in a flurry of wrapping paper, and a day later we go back to normal. But going back to normal is not what Jesus' followers are about.

Santa has come and gone but Jesus is still here—now what? Now we begin to live as if the Splendor of Heaven is among us. We live as if the One Who Loves Us and who comes to save us has indeed come, and is indeed saving us. We live as if after years of longing in exile we are finally being rescued. We live as if the Prince of Peace walks beside us. We live as if angels hover, singing glory. We live as if a star is shining overhead that announces for all Creation that the Beloved is here. We live as if God is with us. Because it's true.



Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve


_______________________________
Copyright © 2009
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com

Christmas

Dearly Beloved,

Grace and Peace to you.


It’s a special time, with the pretty lights and sumptuous meals, the gathering of loved ones and the giving of gifts, the beauty and the memories. But don’t think that the beauty and the luminous mystery belong to this day alone. The proclamation of Christmas is that God is With Us. This is not about one magical night long, long ago, but about God is with and among and within us always.

Ask Mary. When you were on that hard road to Bethlehem, when you were homeless in a strange place, where was God? Inside you. When you were shivering in that shed, left out of the circle of acceptance and privilege, where was God? Beside you. When you fled to Egypt, sought by powers and dominions whose soldiers were sent for your harm, where was God? Cradled in your arms, in your beating heart, in the depth of your breath. Each day, in your ordinary times, in your struggles, in the times of belonging and times of abandonment, where was God? Right here. Always, right here.

On this special night, God says to us with all the beauty it deserves, “I love you and I want to be with you. You are my delight, and I will give up all of heaven simply to be with you. Even if you do not understand, even if you hurt me and reject me, my desire is to be with you—to be in your arms, in your heart, in year breath. See! I am here. I am with you. Peace to you, and to all living things, in whom is my delight.”


Deep Blessings,
Pastor Steve


_______________________________
Copyright © 2009
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
unfoldinglight@hotmail.com