something hit me. This is what Christmas really is. Not the presents, or the food, or the shopping. But the gathering and celebrating the sacred mystery. And it was wonderful to think that people had been assembling like this for almost two thousand years to listen to these same words and sing these praises. It was at that moment that I realized that even though everyone who celebrates Christmas celebrates it differently, it is this moment that draws us together and demonstrates parts of our common humanity. For as we celebrate the Word made flesh today, in what more appropriate way can we do this by gathering together in joy! Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas
Last night I was working at the midnight mass at my church. Part of my job involves going up into the old choir loft to count the number of people present. To make the counting easier I usually wait until everyone is seated before I count. And while I standing up there, I was struck by the shear power and awe that only a group of three hundred people can invoke. And as I watched this congregation coming together to celebrate the mystery of Christ's birth, something hit me. This is what Christmas really is. Not the presents, or the food, or the shopping. But the gathering and celebrating the sacred mystery. And it was wonderful to think that people had been assembling like this for almost two thousand years to listen to these same words and sing these praises. It was at that moment that I realized that even though everyone who celebrates Christmas celebrates it differently, it is this moment that draws us together and demonstrates parts of our common humanity. For as we celebrate the Word made flesh today, in what more appropriate way can we do this by gathering together in joy! Merry Christmas!
something hit me. This is what Christmas really is. Not the presents, or the food, or the shopping. But the gathering and celebrating the sacred mystery. And it was wonderful to think that people had been assembling like this for almost two thousand years to listen to these same words and sing these praises. It was at that moment that I realized that even though everyone who celebrates Christmas celebrates it differently, it is this moment that draws us together and demonstrates parts of our common humanity. For as we celebrate the Word made flesh today, in what more appropriate way can we do this by gathering together in joy! Merry Christmas!
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St. Augustine, preaching to a packed church on Christmas day, said: “Your faith, which has gathered you all here in this large crowd, is well aware that a Savior was born for us today. He was born of the Father always, of his mother once...And the reason he was prepared to come through this latter birth was so that he might become obedient to the death and by dying might conquer death.”
Lovely post, Mike...Merry Christmas!
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