Spreading Christmas Cheer

Weekly reflections on religion and what's going on in the world.

After the birth of John, Zaccharias’ tongue was loosed, and he spoke, praising God. And then “fear came on all who dwelt around them, and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts;” at the end of that same chapter it says, “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”
 
And after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the shepherds saw the heavenly host and then went to see the Babe, wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. And then “they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.”
 
All of this spreading of good news… and then radio silence for 30 years. Children who heard about John and Jesus are now adults. Adults who heard about John and Jesus are now grandparents. Then suddenly, people start to hear new stories of a rugged man preaching about this new thing called “baptism of repentance,” and not long after that, people start to hear new stories of a Man who can heal just by speaking, and nobody has ever talked like Him before. And they remember – they remember the stories from 30 years earlier.
 
Keep in mind that all of this was happening within the context of a people who were collectively waiting for the Consolation of Israel. The excitement would have been palpable. And then that excitement would have turned into just stories. But those first stories were like seeds in dry ground, lying dormant for 30 years until the time was right.
 
Do you remember the magic of Christmas when you were a child? Do you remember the excitement? For most (but not all), the excitement fades to a greater or lesser degree as we age. But, if we are willing, just like the real Christmas story, that child-like excitement can turn into life-changing miracles. And as Jesus told his followers “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
 
That magic is real. The excitement is real. Find where you planted that seed, water it, and let it grow.
 
Merry Christmas to you all.

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