A Thought For The Week Of December 2

"A voice of one calling: In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3) Yesterday, we put our Christmas tree up. It's a bit of a family tradition that we put it up on the First Sunday of Advent, and leave it up until the Season of Christmas ends on January 6. Sometimes the dates vary a bit - it's not a hard and fast rule after all - but we're usually pretty close. Yesterday, we got it right on. It's all a part of preparing. In this case, we prepare for Christmas, in both its secular and spiritual dimensions. Extra church services on the one hand, and a few parties to attend on the other. And it's all good, and it's all fun, and the season moves quickly on and sometimes overwhelms us with all its busy-ness, which is why we have to keep our eyes on what Christmas is really about - not the parties, and not even the extra church services. No. It's about the birth of a baby - God come to us in human flesh, in the helpless form of an infant. What could be more inviting than our Almighty God who needs nothing coming to us in such a humble and helpless state. As much as the parties and extra church services may overwhelm us, this is what's truly overwhelming: God in love chose to join with us in our condition to share our existence and to experience our lives. This is love - overwhelming enough that perhaps we do need to take some time to prepare for its celebration; to prepare the way for God to encounter us anew. Have a great week!