Christmas all year long
The Franciscan understanding of Christmas is that God is permanently incarnated, committed in flesh in human history, in our individual lives. The Incarnation was not simply for a moment in the past, but for now— always and forever. … The Incarnation is continuing in history!
(Accessed 26/08/2023 at https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/).
Therefore, Christmas is every day, all year long!
For those who celebrate Christmas, the best gift we can give others – whatever their faith or philosophy may be – is a simple question asked with heartfelt intent: what good works wait to be born in us, and how can we love one another in ways that midwife their incarnation?
(Excerpt from https://onbeing.org/blog/the-risk-of-incarnation-a-christmas-meditation/).
Holy One
Essence of Kindness
As we journey through this Advent Season
Inspire us to be bearers of love
through our messages of hope
our shared smiles
our generosity and forgiving hearts
our listening ears and words of understanding.
Help us to be living signs of your love dwelling amongst us. Amen
(Adapted from: Joyce Rupp. Return to the Root. 2021. 225)
Reflection:
What is the good waiting to be born in you?
How can you encourage those around you to understand that Christmas is celebrated ‘all year long’?
Like the artist who looks at the marble and sees the hidden angel …
you are thus, the revealers, the midwives of the presence of God already hidden in … the world.
(Daniel O’Leary. 2017. 144).
