Christmas Gifts to A
World in Turmoil
I am finding it difficult to really get into the Christmas
Spirit this year. The lingering memories
of gun violence – particularly the December massacre of children in Newtown;
the atrocities of militants in the Middle East and emerging realities of
post-9/11 torture; the glaring truth that racism is still very much alive in
our society…….it’s hard to feel good about decking the halls or singing Joy to the World. I feel that John the Baptist’s cry of
“Repent!” seems to be the needed message of our Advent – Christmas journey. The innkeeper’s no room for love and peace on
earth sign hangs brightly illuminated over our world. The flight to Egypt and Herod’s murder of the
innocents is a recurring lead story in the media. (Prayers for the evil slaughter in Pakistan)
To celebrate anything seems to be so inappropriate.
Yet, on a night in Bethlehem a child was born into a world
that was filled with poverty and conflict.
“For unto us a child is born!!!!”
Amid the turmoil and disorder which is swaddling our world, we need to
once again hear the message and seek to grasp its simple message again. A child is born! Innocence, imagination, dreams – these gifts
of infancy are offered to us. “Imagination
disposes of everything; it creates beauty, justice, and happiness, which is
everything in this world.” This thought of 17th century philosopher,
Blaise Pascal, reminds us of a foundational message of this miraculous stable
birth. Our world is in its chaotic state
for our lack of childlike imagination.
We keep repeating behaviors that haven’t worked in the past!
If we really want to bring peace on earth good will among
all, we need to change our gift giving strategy. I offer here some innocent appropriate gifts
for our consideration.
·
Give the gift of a commitment to tutoring for
an “EXTENDED” period of time to one child who is disadvantaged by the realities
of poverty.
·
Give the gift of childlike repetitive
questioning “Why are guns so easy to obtain?” by writing / calling again and
again and again…..elected officials seeking an answer to that innocent
question.
·
Give the gift of creating opportunities for
honest and gracious cross-racial, cross-cultural dialogue on “being human”….the
gift of moving out of our comfort zone.
·
Give the gift of building homes through
working with Habitat for Humanity.
·
Give the gift of knowledge to yourself by
researching both sides of the story
when it comes to issues of international discord, racism, poverty, and
prejudice. This gives the gift of
civility to the world.
·
Give the gift of not giving unneeded gifts to
others and give the money to Heifer Project International so others might
experience freedom from their poverty.
·
Give the gift of welcome to strangers rather
than keeping them at a distance. Give up
on assumptions about others who seem different from you.
·
Give the gift of a simple “thank you” to
those who humbly serve us each day – from the store clerk, to the restaurant
servers, to those who clean up our messes and haul our trash, to those who
deliver our mail, to those who make our communities safe – police, EMTs, to
those who help us make purchases over the phone, to…………………
·
Give the gift of appreciation to our military
and their families through supporting community programs for their benefit. Employ a veteran in a meaningful job.
·
Give the gift of your hands in participating
in visitation programs to the elderly and ill and dying.
·
Give the gift of making your business open to
employing and offering training to those seeking to escape from poverty.
·
………………………..
It’s time to open the Christmas gift of childlike
imagination and give that to the world!
Give heart-made and handmade gifts.
Prayer – God who dared to become flesh and experience the
human journey, thank you for the innocence born into a world which has lost its
ability to conceive a peaceable realm in which your love and justice abides. Instill in us a reborn spirit that reaches
out like a newborn child to embrace a world in need of a love that is
untethered from strident opinions, past assumptions and un-imaginative thought.
Through our lives help us to adore Him once again. Amen.
