This Christmas finds me in a reflective mood.
My immediate family is safe, prosperous and healthy, a great blessing and comfort. Over the last years I have lost those who were parents to me, and have remained distant to my half siblings and birth parents whom I did not grow up around, a point of sadness and melancholy for me. While my job is secure and regular, I regulate and work around many for whom that is not so, this is sobering. I am in my forties now and some (maybe even much) of my idealism and drive to better the environment and public health of the little area I cover is spent. My Christian faith is not that of my father’s (or mother’s), and not even that of my wife and children, that is sometimes lonely and disturbing. I have hated too much and not loved nearly enough, while reveling in my prosperity and not sharing nearly enough. In doing so I have grown fat and lazy, both in body and spirit.
Most of the positive things in my life are not of my own doing, they are gifts from beyond, and I did not earn them nor deserve them. I have seen Christians who hate and argue, and people of other faiths work quietly to help someone; even many. I have also seen the reverse, the commonality seems to be whether they are lost in hype and dogma, or simply care enough about others to meet a need. I read history and look at current events around the world, and know that I have never experienced persecution, or severe discrimination. I have born gifts as if they were burdens, and exchanged genuine treasure for mere trinkets. I have seen several young people go to Iraq, some are now home, some not yet, and one died while there. I think George Bush was a failure as president and hope that Barack Obama will not be, but understand that both are politicians and human.
My truest hope is that the “kingdom in our midst”will somehow continue to grow and emerge all around this globe and in ever more hearts. But I will forget about that, become distracted and grow discouraged, or just apathetic; as I often have before.
May the Creator born as a mere human baby, who seeks those whom He chooses and revives by a Spirit more pure than our own, continue to pursue each of us so that all is not lost for me or anyone else.
Beatitudes
