A Christmas concern: It’s getting earlier and earlier—the massive decorations on lawns and in stores. Or sometimes blue or something else made festive. Americans love Christmas, at least the lights and colors. Sometimes together. Near The Galleria last night, I saw trees completely covered in red lights. “Breathtaking” and “beloved” per the website. That’s a tiny example. Seeing the lights throughout the city has long been a favorite holiday activity.
My worry this year is that the light trend may reverse. Pendulums swing. Will we go back to a minimalist style with either smaller displays or some sort of media that is not the same as light?
What to do? Awareness is first. We are by nature attracted to light. Light the world yourself as your goodness shines through. Reflect the light of Christ. Keep Him in Christmas. I used to think that was a reactive phrase. This year, I saw a dozen Christmas cards at Walmart with not a single religious one among them. Years ago, we were told to worry about”Xmas.” When have you even seen that larely?
The image for this kept coming as a squeezed out tube of toothpaste. Let’s not let that happen…
“Given” is a poem I sometimes consider my best. I read it tonight to a group before we watched It’s a Wonderful Life (1947). There was interesting conversation afterward, but one phrase that resonated was “goodness creates goodness. Someone asked if it could be made today. I don’t think so. Not because “In our society today…” but because I don’t think we have anyone who could stay out of the story and let it tell itself. Agendas and messages would win out. And yes, poems were being read—so I asked to read this one, not saying whose it was. Merry Christmas!
Given
Given, that this is not the season when He was born,
But on a mild April night, full of new lambs, shepherds tending.
Given, that the stores (and we, shopping, encourage them)
Start too early, the days before Halloween now.
Given, that too much attention is paid to these tinseled toils:
Trees, bows, old elves, new elves, words in glitter.
Given, that red and green are not the best of colors
Arranged on silly sweaters, flattering few.
Given, that shallow promises to do and be good should best be
Conquered with deeper resolve some summer, when we have time.
Given, that worries are misplaced on things, which never
Last but break or shrink or fill our stomachs but for the hour.
Given, that those selfsame gifts could find better uses
Feeding the poor, clothing the naked, saving the world.
Ah, no, not that last:
For there is only One mighty enough to save.
For all the disappointments, the burdens
Given and received, for all the sadness, for the emptiness
For all the tears over those gone on
For hardships, ours and others
For all the indulgence and self-righteous singing
For all the narrow,
There is still the great
Given.
This the time when we remember the birth of a child
Given
To a virgin,
His Father ours, too, but once, not twice.
Given
So that we might come again to that Father,
Given our faults.
For us, to us, was He
Given.