Merry Christmas!
As we contemplate the wonders of this great feast of our salvation, let us take the time to reflect on our past, present, and future.
What has God done? What is God doing? And what will God do for us?
Recently, I saw the play, “A Christmas Carol,” based on the short story by Charles Dickens. I encourage you to re-read it. While Dickens had a bias against religion in general, this story in particular is quite theological.
To a great extent, we are masters of our destiny. We do reap what we sow:
- If we choose to forget our roots, we run the danger of becoming miserly like old Scrooge.
- If we fail to use the gifts and talents we’ve been given, we can become hypercritical, distant, and lonely.
- If we fail to prepare for our mortal end, we may lose out on the greatest gift ever given—life with God.
Scrooge’s greatest sin was not that he was miserly or that he was wealthy or that he was a shrewd businessman. No, Scrooge’s downfall was that he had forgotten how to love. His heart had grown hardened against people. Instead of viewing others as opportunities for encountering God, he viewed people as pawns to be used in his game of life.
This Christmas, may each of us make a recommitment to love.
- May we recommit ourselves to love those with whom we are close.
- May we recommit ourselves to love those who are difficult to like, let alone love.
- May we recommit ourselves to love those with whom we have much in common as well as those who are our total opposites.
In short, let us remember that the Christ Child came to love EVERYONE and to teach us how to love one another.
Just as Scrooge had a change of heart after the visit of the three Spirits who reminded him of his past, present and future, may we too learn to deepen our love for one another.
And as Tiny Tim reminded us, “God bless us, every one!”
