“Do You See What I See?” (12/03/2024)

Last evening, after bible study at our parish center with 14 faith-filled and joyful individuals, I sat in my family room and recalled the experience. In front of me on our mantle was a nativity scene and family angel wreath without the Baby Jesus. It’s waiting, as I am, for Christmas day. As I looked at the nativity scene awaiting Baby Jesus, the faith, the hope, and the love I’d experienced at bible study remained with me as the blessing it was. And I couldn’t imagine my life without Jesus.

The words of the Christmas song came to mind. “Do you see what I see?” The coming of our LORD among us, the love of our LORD for us, the sacrifice of our LORD for us changed everything for us. This was apparent in the individuals gathered for bible study. And the song kept sounding in my mind. How will we bring this news to others during this season of preparation? How will we ask others, “Do you see what I see?”

Our lives are our opportunities to bring Christ to others and others to Christ through the Spirit led and directed expression of our faith, our hope, and our love. As we “prepare” for Christmas, for “the coming,” how do we help others to see what we see, to hear what we hear, to feel what we feel in our relationship with Christ. We must open ourselves and give of ourselves, share our faith, speak of our hope, express our love.

Our advent preparations can’t be reduced to food prep, decorating, and gift wrapping. Our advent preparations calls us to do more, to be more, to be instruments of the LORD’s peace, the LORD’s wholeness and holiness, in this season of light, of joy, of love.

We must be the ones who speak “Merry Christmas!” and “Have a blessed and joyful Christmas!”

Christmas is coming, the time to remember how the coming of an infant into our midst changed the trajectory of human history, of humanity, of us!

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.