These Christmas Eve resources were written towards the end of September following a tumultuous political summer in the U.S., and in the midst of a tumultuous election season as well. Not to mention wars, genocide, floods, droughts, horrendous hurricanes, and wildfires. Again. Environmental devastation, injustice, hate, division, lament, and fear are no strangers to our times, both in our personal lives and systemically. And who knows what the future will hold by the time these resources are used in your church this year?
With those cheery thoughts in mind, I found myself asking, “Why Christmas? What does Christmas have to say to us here, and now?”
And I found myself answering, “Everything!”
The message of the Holy breaking into the world, disrupting the status quo, disrupting despair, embracing us with love that never ends and hope that is real and true, is a message that speaks to our time, both in our personal lives and systemically. So it doesn’t really matter (liturgically speaking) what events will take place between my writing of these materials and your using them in December; the Christmas story will speak to us wherever we are. And will continue to call us all to do the work that’s needed to bring justice, accountability, and healing to God’s good Creation.
Why Christmas? Why not?
Why not embody hope in a world that is often filled with despair?
Why not embody peace by the way we live, vote, work, and play?
Why not celebrate, and resist the powers of despair by affirming the presence of life
and hope?
Why not keep on loving, in all our diversity and wonder, doing the hard and beautiful
work of community?
Why not be a people of Christmas joy?
The Christmas Ever resources are available in a PDF file.