A Christmas Thought, 2,018 years later

In the the morning light of my prayer-room I gaze upon the image of the Christ-child cheek to cheek with his mother. When suddenly my mind jumps to the words of Jesus when He said (Jn15:5,) “...those who abide in Me and I in them...” ‘If I abide in Him,’ I thought, ‘then I am as much in this infant at His mother’s cheek as I am with Him on the torturous Cross.’

Time is not really linear traveling from the creation of sun and moon into infinity like the longest golden thread. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow collapse into a oneness of Time. All that will be “IS”. All that was “IS”. ISness is time itself. In the Minds of the Maker, and the most brilliant physicists, time is something very different than what it is for us who count it by seconds. That golden thread continuously dissolves into nonexistence. This is how we can be in Christ from inside the womb until this very minute even when He is invisible! We are always united in NOW time. 

Back to the touching cheeks. In these Christmas days we who celebrate would do well to take a few of these fleeting moments to imagine being in the neonatal fast-beating heart of Jesus curled up in the womb of His humble young mother; our Mother too!

Soon we will travel through the birth canal with Him, from the dark warm womb into the dark cold world. Our mission, like His, will be to overpower this cold darkness with the light of love. Like Jesus, let’s love even those who offend us. Turn the other cheek and bless. Heal, even at the wrong time. Forgive. Relate to all men equally regardless of gender, status, or ethnicity. Walk on water.

But for now, on Christmas Day, be a baby, feel the love. Receive the gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Ignore the cold, smelly manger.

And tomorrow, follow His commands like bread crumbs to heaven, the real place of peace and harmony because love lives there, and love never ever dies, it is the destination of time.

Merry  Christmas.

Evangeline

Christ - mas

Dear Fellow Aspiring Immortal,

On my trip to the Holy Land, I visited the birthpoint of Christ, and send you these pictures.

This place reminded us of the humanity of Christ. To quote James Martin, SJ in his wonderful book, 'Jesus a Pilgrimage' "God comes to the world as a human being, at the risk of confusing Mary and Joseph, so the rest of us will not be confused. Confused about God? Look at Jesus. See what he does. Listen to his words."

Jesus came to fetch us Adams and Eves after the expulsion that separated humans from God’s perfect will for us to live happily near Him forever. Jesus came to heal us, to comfort us and to teach us God’s ways. He came to guide us through this life and ultimately to annihilate death for us.

For all of these reasons and more, Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving.

Our Christmas gifts to each other and to the poor are simply tiny reflections of our Creator’s enormous gift.

May you experience the newest year ever by taking some of your precious time on earth to study Christ through the Gospels and then by listening for the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace, counsel you personally in your heart, and discover the wealth that true life has to offer. Let the New Year renew you.

With love,

Evangeline

The Mark of Christmas

The Mark is the target formed by the commands of Christ. They teach us how to be like God, how to become a child of God. Unlike most teachers and preachers, Jesus Christ shows by example everything He tells us to do, and more. The wisest among us study Christ's life as much as we study His teachings. Even his birth teaches.

I wonder if it was even harder to be born than it was to be crucified. We think that the pain and humiliation of the crucifixion was the ultimate act of love because we can identify with the unfair trial, or imagine people jeering at us with disdain. We can imagine the embarrassment of the public flogging and the grief and agony of leaving behind our friends and family at death.

On the other hand, we can no more imagine the human birth of God’s only begotten Son than we can remember our own.

When Christ told the man to sell all he had, give the money to the poor and follow him, was He reminded of Christmas when He shed the glory of the heavenly throne to become a helpless infant born to modest parents in a stable? Jesus Christ let go of everything He had to give us eternal life in obedience to His Father. He has indeed done everything He asks us to do.

The Mark of Christmas is to find ways to emulate this level of love, humility, and adventure!

Hark! Do you hear herald angels singing?

I pray that this Christmastime brings you the humbling awareness of the enormous sacrifice that became Christmas.

Maybe our extensive debt-making gift-buying is one way to do it! Spend all that you have on your friends and enemies and follow Him.

Peace to you,

Abundance to you,

Light in you,

Evangeline