UM Insight Illustration
You Are Here
There’s something in the Christmas Story for everyone – prophets, angels and kings – silence, poems and music – priests, widows and magi - emperors, innkeepers and shepherds – fathers, mothers and cousins – and, of course, there’s a baby – all touched by the presence of God and God’s love.
The power of this story is that it engages us no matter who we are, no matter how we’re feeling, no matter where we are in our faith journey. “For unto us a child is born!” Somehow we find ourselves somewhere in the story. That’s why Christmas, if we pay attention, never gets old.
Shirley Erena Murray captures that wonderfully in her song “Star Child.” She reminds us of all the children of the world - the young, the old, the loved, the hurt, the spoiled, the wise, and prays for all of them and more: “This year, this year, let the day arrive when Christmas comes for everyone, every one alive!”
One of the beauties of the Season of Advent is that it affords an opportunity to prepare for Christmas. Advent encourages us to actually read the Bible, the Christmas stories and the prophetic promises. By the way, if you take the time to read them out loud, it’s even better. Advent helps us to get in touch with the devotional side of Christmas, and the deep side, and even the dark side. Advent teaches us the value of community and solitude, of song and silence, of simplicity and glory, of the traditional and the new. Most importantly Advent helps us to find our place in the story.
I have come to appreciate those little maps in train stations and indoor malls and other places that have little circles with arrows showing us, “You are here.” Even maps on ‘smart phones’ have a little blue blinking dot that give us our location. What they do is to help us to orient ourselves. In some respects the Christmas story is filled with little “You are here” signs that help us find our way from where we are in life to where God would like to us to go – giving us a new orientation, if you will.
For those who are weary of cruelty and violence in the world, Advent will draw us to the prophet Isaiah and the promise of a child who will be a Prince of Peace – you are here! To those whose lives didn’t turn out the way they had hoped, Advent will draw us to the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth who saw their barrenness turn to new life - you are here! For those who have seen their plans disrupted, Advent will draw us to the story of Mary and Joseph whose lives were turned upside down so that the miracle of Love could be born - you are here! For those who are trapped in the mundane routine of their daily life, Advent will draw us to the story of the shepherds to whom the heavens were flooded with songs of good news - you are here! For those who see a vision that is drawing them to a pilgrimage, Advent will draw us to the story of the Magi following a star to meet the Holy One of God – you are here!
When we take the time to embrace the Christmas story, we will encounter, all through it, little hope full signs reminding us – you are here! Each one is a grace note put there by God to help us to see ourselves as a part of the story. That is very good news, indeed! “This year, this year, let the day arrive when Christmas comes for everyone, every one alive!” You! Are! Here!
The Rev. F. Richard Garland is a retired clergy member of the New England Annual Conference. His hymns are featured frequently in the Worship section of Discipleship Ministries' website.