Streams of Mercy

As the world rushes on with after-Christmas sales and gift exchanges, the church continues to celebrate Christmastide. As the music of the season fades into the distance, we as a people of faith need to drink deeply of the life-giving truths of this holy season, to taste of its promise, to receive those tidings of great joy in our individual lives.

For a season, we’ve listened to angels and found ourselves expectant and hopeful, we’ve been more generous and loving; we’ve had a glimpse of the way life would be if we were to become the people we could be. We’ve pondered in our hearts the Christmas mystery; we’ve heard the glad tidings of great joy and know they are for all people. We’ve believed for a season that with God all things are possible.

All of the anticipation and waiting and the joy of Christmas itself is past, and we’re left with the miracle of the Christ Child in our midst, and the growing awareness that we’ve only begun to understand the wonder of his love and the meaning of such a gift of grace. We become aware that we must live into as well as anticipate and prepare for the coming of Christ.

The truth is that Christmas is not “finally over”, but very much still and forever with us. These days on the other side of Christmas are to be days when we continue to ponder the meaning of Immanuel, God with us - not a Christmas present received in a moment of time, but the gift of Holy Presence forevermore.

As we begin to think about taking down decorations, putting away presents and getting back to normal, it’s important that we take time to reflect on where we’ve been in this year that is drawing to a close. We’ve made it through the uncharted territory of a continuing pandemic; we’ve come face to face with the depth of racial injustice and systemic racism in this nation; we’ve faced a deep and continuing political divide. Just what is to be the next chapter in our lives? At what points will we encounter Jesus Christ and have opened to us a new sense of purpose and direction? How will we continue to journey into this year that lies before us?

Are we ready for the Christ we are given in this holy child?

Are we willing to accept the consequences of knowing him?

Are we willing to be sent out to do the work of Christmas?

This poem by Howard Thurman helps as we think about these questions:

“When the Song of the Angels is Stilled”

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and the princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flocks,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among people,

to make music in the heart.

Let the work of Christmas begin!

Let’s begin it together.”

Giving thanks for those streams of mercy, carrying us into this new year, and asking God’s blessing on our journeys of life and faith in 2021.

Elizabeth