"When the carols have been stilled,
When the star topped tree is taken down,
When family and friends have gone home,
When we are back to our schedules,
The work of Christmas begins:
To welcome the refugee,
To heal a broken planet,
To feed the hungry,
To build bridges of trust, not walls of fear,
To share our gifts,
To seek justice and peace for all people,
To bring Christ's light into the world."
The day after Christmas can sometimes be a let down. All of the preparations are over, we’ve opened presents and had our Christmas dinner. What do we do now? Our celebrations probably looked and felt different this year, with family and friends visiting over zoom, and going back to a schedule that is in a constant state of adjustment. The day after Christmas can be an invitation, a new beginning, a step into the journey of after Christmas. We can take time to reflect on the words above, and what they can mean to us. If we fully step into this new journey, and live out these words, God can be at work in and through us.
Who may we be able to welcome, a new neighbor, or someone who needs a phone call? What actions can we take to heal the planet? We have Christmas bags and boxes that we reuse every year to reduce the amount that goes in trash and recycling. How can we support a local food pantry, or bring a meal to someone in need? What walls of fear might we identify in our own lives? What gifts do we have that can be connected to ministries of peace and justice and hope? We all can be light bearers in a world that needs light to shine in the dark places. All of these actions may be just one simple step or practice that can be incorporated into our daily lives. And all of us are already doing these things and can celebrate the difference we’ve made.
Prayer...
Lord whose birth we continue to celebrate, guide us now as the real work of Christmas begins anew in each one of us. Help us celebrate your birth each and every day as we go about our daily routines. Open us to the new opportunities to shine light where it is needed, and to celebrate your light shining in the darkness. Your light has come and continues to shine. AMEN.
Diane McGeoch, Deacon
Coordinator, Learning Peace:
A Camp for Kids, Nampa