The Episcopal Missionary Church

The Presiding Bishop's Message as We Approach Christmas

 

Almost Christmas

 

What a joyful time this is supposed to be, and for many people it really is. But, if we are honest, we know it is not very joyful for a lot of people. There is a seasonal depression that attacks many people, and a part of that depression is that expectations are often raised very high. I note with some puzzlement that some of the so-called "Mega Churches" are not going to have services on Christmas Eve or Christmas.

They are going to keep December 23rd as "Christmas Sunday". It seems a pretty clear sign of how secular our culture has become. I know of no church in our area which is not having services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both -- if that has been their custom in the past. Personally, I think it is important to open the church doors and turn on the heat to welcome people on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On more than one occasion, I have found that doing that has blessed me very much, just as I intended to try to be a blessing to others.

Once I found a lot of presents on the porch of Christ Church with the instructions to share these things with someone in need. The same day a man came by who had been in jail but had just been released and was headed for Nashville for a job interview. Unlike what we saw in the 1950's movies he had not been given a new suit. He was shabbily dressed. In the boxes were clothes in his exact size. I am talking 34 waist and 29 length in trousers, and shirts 16 1/2 neck and just exactly the right length of sleeve. A blazer was also in a box and looked like it had been tailored for this man. No shoes were left, but his shoes were in pretty good shape. We laughed together and he told me he had never laughed like that in years. By the way, he got the job. A coincidence? Have it your way. Do things like this happen to me every day, or even every week or month? I cannot honestly say that they do. But how many little "miracles" does any one person need? I admit I hope for more, but deeper down I know I have had more than my share.

Everyone has his down days. Some suffer from long periods of them. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a major factor in the lives of many of our fellow citizens. There is no "magic pill" to deal with it. But think carefully about whether there is someone for whom a call, or even a card from you can make a difference. Listen carefully when someone tells you they are down. Take the time in this "almost Christmas" season to reach out to others. If you do you will find your own spirit lifted in ways you never expected.

One last thing: it is a fact that many families find themselves falling apart at this time of year. Yes, even some churches may experience the desire to "throw the preacher out." There is an old song which has a line, "Remember that snowy evening you threw me out -- I had nothing but a fine-toothed comb." Can we make a connection between winter and the struggle between light and darkness? I think it is obvious. There is another force, which is mean and opposes the True Light. The urge towards chaos is always at work and December is no exception. I know which reality I want in my life -- being "present and accounted for", keeping focused in Advent and throughout the Christmas Season has helped me stay the course, and in the words of C. S. Lewis (and Holy Scripture too) to "count it all joy."

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