Merry Christmas

As I was sitting in church and looking at some of our parishioners faces, it struck me how painful the holidays can be sometimes. It’s often referred to as the holiday blues, right? I was looking around at the families who currently have very sick children, husbands that have lost wives, children that have lost fathers, and on a day that is described as joyful for most, it can be very painful because we‘re reminded of what we may be missing. Even if we haven’t gone through any earth-shattering life changes, whatever struggles we may have, big or small, they all seem to be under a magnifying glass between Thanksgiving and New Years. Even at work my boss and I were remarking that during this season our patients seem to be a little more stressed, have a little less patience, and can often come in with very foul moods. As much as we describe Christmas as "the season to be jolly", there's very little joy to be found among us despite what the Christmas songs profess.  It sounds depressing doesn't it? I promise this post does get better.

Growing up, I used to think of people as either having a happy or not-so-happy demeanor, nothing in the middle. But as I’ve made my way into adulthood, I realize that life happens, and depending on the circumstances (as mentioned above) we now have to try…we have to try to maintain that joyous outlook despite what may be going on around us and in us. And on this Christmas day, I’m reminded that instead of trying, I can believe that my outlook on life can be eternally fixed. That on this day a baby was born, so that I can have an eternally joyous outlook. That on this day “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory… and from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1: 14-16). That on this day, all those faces I’ve seen that may be struggling because of life’s circumstance, can be as joyous as the person who’s lost nothing, because Christ came to this earth and experienced everything that we could possibly experience and then some. That true joy doesn’t depend on anything that happens on this earth, but comes from delighting in the words and life of our Savior.

So on that note, I wish away any holiday blues you may be feeling, and wish you all a truly joyous Christmas and a contentment that can only come by resting our faith on that humble babe that was born on this glorious day.

Merry Christmas everyone!