Candlelight Carol - John Rutter

We have sung this song by British composer and conductor John Rutter on Christmas Eve in my congregation almost every year over the past ten years. There is something about it that so perfectly captures the intimacy and the cosmic nature of this night.

My favorite memory is of asking my husband at about 10:30 p.m. if he would come and fill in the tenor section in the choir that night for our midnight service. He agreed, and then as he looked at the list of music said, “Oh no, I can’t sing that one…it makes me cry.” That is a feat unto itself.

A beautiful modern carol, that makes grown men cry.

May you have a blessed Christmas Eve.

Social Media Nativity

I thought it might not happen this year, but early yesterday morning I finally got my Christmas Cards in the mail.

Someday I wonder when I will stop sending Christmas Cards and  handwritten thank you notes. When will the internet take over my traditional forms of communication, personal touches or thoughtful gestures?

This short video (that I first discovered last Christmas) might help us to reflect on the ways that we communicate, the ways we connect, and the ways we reconsider ancient stories in light of our modern sensibilities.

Plus it is pretty cute.

Advent According to Rowan Williams

Today's post is a lovely explaination of the meaning of Advent by the former Archbishop of Canturbury - Dr. Rowan Williams. It runs about ten minutes but it is worth it. I especially like the way he says - sweets and chocolates!

 Enjoy.

The Longest Night - a Prayer for Children

On this day and night of the Winter Solstice, we remember those for whom Christmas is a time of pain and not a time of joy; when the holidays bring difficult memories and no visions of sugar plums; when we pause today to mourn the loss of precious children through an act of senseless violence.

The prayer below is one that I used this past Sunday with our congregation after the children led us in their annual Christmas Program. We often talk during this time and in the face of these kinds of events that we should hug our children more tightly. I would agree with that, but I believe that these are the moments when we should also consider how we care for and embrace children who are not our own.

 

This prayer was written by Ina J. Hughes and adapted by Marian Wright Edelman of the Children's Defense Fund.

 

We pray/accept responsibility for children

 

            Who sneak popsicles before supper,
            Who erase holes in math workbooks,
            Who can never find their shoes.

And we pray/accept responsibility for those
            who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
            who can’t bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
            who were born in places we wouldn’t be caught dead,
            who never go to the circus,
            who live in an X-rated world.

We pray/accept responsibility for children
            who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
            who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we pray/accept responsibility for those
            who never get dessert
            who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
            who watch their parents watch them die,
            who can’t find any bread to steal,
            who don’t have any rooms to clean up,
            whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser
            and whose monsters are real.

We pray/accept responsibility for children
            who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
            who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food.
            who like ghost stories
            who shove dirty clothes under the bed and never rinse out the tub,
            who get visits from the tooth fairy,
            who don’t like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
            who squirm in church or temple and scream in the phone,
            whose tears we sometimes laugh at and whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray/accept responsibility for those
            whose nightmares come in the daytime,
            who will eat anything,
            who have never seen a dentist
            who aren’t spoiled by anybody,
            who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
            who live and move, but have no being.

We pray/accept responsibility for children
            who want to be carried and for those who must,
            for those we never give up on and for those
            who don’t get a second chance,
            for those we smother and for those who will grab the hand of anyone kind enough to offer it.

 

Amen

Guide My Feet: Prayers and Meditations on Loving and Working for Children, edited by Marian Wright Edelman, 1995.

Alternative Giving - Heifer International

The moment has come when UPS may not quite make it to your door before Christmas Day, and so I want to use today’s calendar post to remind you of something that we all already know - sometimes the best gift at Christmas is a donation to a worthy organization in the name of a friend or loved one.

A few Christmases ago, we started doing this as a family, remembering that most adults in our lives have everything they could ever need; and that the stress of shopping and wrapping, of returning and even sometimes re-gifting, makes for a not too merry Christmas.

So if you are still looking for that perfect gift five days before Christmas, why not consider an alternative gift through an organization like Heifer International?

In my congregation we have a special place in our heart for Heifer, having visited the educational ranch in Arkansas together, funded two Gift Arks as a church, and even held a Heifer International Vacation Bible School one summer. 

 One of the most powerful parts of the Heifer International philosophy is the concept of Passing on the Gift - that every family who has received a live animal gift from Heifer International is expected to continue to grow that gift and to give its offspring to another family within their community. The video below is a short clip of a Passing on the Gift ceremony in Peru.

 

I wish this is what gift giving looked like at my house on Christmas morning!

 

Lessons and Carols

The century old tradition of gathering on Christmas Eve to read together nine scripture passages from the Old and New Testament interspersed with hymns, carols and anthems began at Kings College in Cambridge, England. Today they are still known for creating the definitive Lessons and Carols worship service. You can even go here to see their 2012 order of worship.

When I first started in ministry, I wanted to make sure that I was leading my congregation in the most authentic Lessons and Carols service I could. I had been a part of this tradition as a child, but was fascinated to read of its history and the traditions that have continued at Kings College up until today. Broadcast for many years over the BBC and then PBS as well, my husband tells me that he vividly remembers each year as they would listen at home hearing that lyric boy soprano voice singing the same Carol that their service starts with every year - Once in Royal David’s City.

I was shocked when I realized that though I had been accustomed to beautiful lessons that tell the story of the annunciation, birth and adoration of Jesus, at Kings College they start their lessons all the way back in the second chapter of Genesis.

I knew that if I organized my Christmas Eve service in this way - asking a young teenager to stand up and start our service with a reading of Adam and Eve - that folks in the pews would be so disoriented they might not be able to appreciate the beauty of hearing these particular lessons in this order.

The way that these traditional nine lessons are selected and put together clearly make the connection between the way we are called to work out our human condition, the promises we have heard from God, and a longing we have for a new relationship with God through Christ’s incarnation. It is much more common for us to understand our sins to be forgiven through Christ’s death and resurrection - that through this atonement our relationship with God is restored and a new future with God is made possible.

But the incarnation is just as vital when it comes to understanding God’s movement toward us and God’s desire to be in relationship with us.

Below are all Nine Lessons in the order and translation they will be read at Kings College this Christmas. May they help us this day to understand the epic nature of the humble family stories we read that night.

Lesson One - Genesis 3

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. And unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Lesson Two - Genesis 22

And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Lesson Three - Isaiah 9

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Lesson Four - Isaiah 11

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD. With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Lesson Five - Luke 1

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Lesson Six - Luke 2

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Lesson Seven - Luke 2

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Lesson Eight - Matthew 2

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Lesson Nine - John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Star Giving - Ann Weems

We have a tradition of reading this Ann Weems poem each Christmas Eve, usually by a very young child.

It speaks so beautifully to the meaning of that night and of the season. Especially in the voice of a child, it gives a glimpse (if just for a moment) of how we would want all of our children to approach the season - focusing on gifts of love for one another and for the world.

What I’d really like to give you for Christmas is a star…

Brilliance in a package,
            something you could keep in the pocket of your jeans
            or in the pocket of your being.
Something to take out in times of darkness,
            something that would never snuff out or tarnish,
            something you could hold in your hand,
            something for wonderment,
            something for pondering,
            something that would remind you of
            what Christmas has always meant:
            God’s Advent Light into the darkness of this world.
But stars are only God’s for giving,
            and I must be content to give you words and wishes
            and packages without stars.
But I can wish you life
            as radiant as the Star
            that announces the Christ Child’s coming,
            and as filled with awe as the shepherds who stood beneath its light.
And I can pass on to you the love
            that has been given to me,
            ignited countless times by others
            who have knelt in Bethlehem’s light.
Perhaps, if you ask, God will give you a star.

Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem, The Westminster Press, 1980.

First Coming - Madeleine L’Engle

Often in Advent we talk of preparations…of being ready for the coming of Christ to Earth again. In this piece by Madeleine L’Engle, we are reminded that God did not wait for a perfect time to come, but came when the need was the greatest.

God does not wait for us; we wait for God.

 

First Coming

God did not wait till the world was ready,

till...nations were at peace.

God came when the heavens were unsteady

and prisoners cried out for release.

 

God did not wait for the perfect time.

God came when the need was deep and great.

God dined with sinners in all their grime,

turned water into wine.

 

God did not wait till hearts were pure.

In joy God came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.

To a world like ours, of anguished shame, God came,

And God’s light would not go out.

God came to a world that did not mesh

to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.

In the mystery of the Word made flesh

the Maker of the stars was born.

 

We cannot wait till the world is sane

to raise our songs with joyful voice,

For to share our grief, touch our pain,

God came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice

The Virgin Birth and Other Impossibilities

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"  The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.  And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38  

We Wait for You to Ache - Walter Brueggeman

I had planned to use this post later in the season, when we came to the winter solstice, but based on the events in Connecticut yesterday, I thought that it might be helpful to bump it up to today. Many nights are dark in our world today. May we find helpful ways to be about bringing the light of Christ to those in need.

The tradition of holding a Longest Night service may be a new one in many communities, but it touches on what must certainly be a long standing need in the midst of the holiday season. Held on the night of the winter solstice - the longest night - Christians come together to mourn those they have lost since the last holiday season, to acknowledge that Christmas is not always a merry season for all of us, and to sit in prayer together through the pain that can come in the midst of joy.

The Huron Carol

The Huron Carol was written by a Jesuit missionary to Canada in the mid 1600’s originally in the Wyandot language of the Huron Native Americans. I love the ways that the traditional Christmas imagery is transformed into the North American context. I have included links below to two of my favorite picture book versions of this Carol that I use with children in our congregation.

Twas in the moon of wintertime,
When all the birds had fled,
That mighty Gitchi Manitou
Sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the stars grew dim,
And wondering hunters heard the hymn:

Jesus your King is born,
Jesus is born,
In excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark
The tender babe was found,
A ragged robe of rabbit skin
Enwrapped His beauty round;
But as the hunter braves drew nigh,
The angel song rang loud and high:

Mary Pondering - an Advent Reading

My son was born in early October, not a necessarily holy month or time. But as a pastor intending to go on maternity leave for about eight weeks, that meant that my September was immersed fully in Advent, preparing prayers, and worship services, candle lighting and manger scene organizing. I remember reflecting on that time, carrying that child in my body, that I was uniquely positioned (actually awkwardly positioned most of the time) to reflect on the anticipation and anxiety of Advent through the eyes of Mary.

Here is a beautiful reading from the Iona Community in Scotland that describes her expectations, her fears and her hopes.

What is this seed that God has planted,
unasked, uncompromised, unseen?
Unknown to everyone but angels
this gift has been.

And who am I to be the mother,
to give my womb at heaven’s behest,
to let my body be the hospice
and God the guest?

Shepherds, Wise Men and Creative Anachronism

One of my hard and fast rules when it comes to teaching children about the Bible is that I never want to teach them something that I will have to un-teach them later.

For example, when teaching my son about the early stories from the Book of Genesis, I never have led him to believe that they are literal stories of the creation or the flood. We talk about folk stories and how ancient people described God and the earth through beautiful acts of storytelling and creativity. It is my hope that there will never be a day when he asks me if Adam and Eve had belly buttons, who their children married if they were the first people, or even how Noah kept the carnivores from eating the small furry animals on the Ark. At least that is my hope.

Faces by J. Barrie Shepherd

What is it about faces,
tells us so much more about a person?
Hands, after all, are equally distinct,
each finger bearing signs which mark
the bearer as unique, unrepeatable,
Even the hairs of our heads
are not merely numbered, as Jesus
once assured, but by chemical analysis
can be made to reveal volumes about
the individual below.
Yet we read faces to discover
in an instant not only who a person is,
but how she feels, what he thinks,
and whether or not the attitude
displayed there momentarily
denotes affection or refection.
Animals, fish, even insects to
have faces, highly concentrated areas
for gathering food, air, and information.
And at times we feel that we can see
emotion there as well,
the smiling of a dog,
the sophisticated boredom of a cat,
the panic of a startled hare.

In Search of Our Kneeling Places - Ann Weems

As much as the stories of Christmas are defined by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, for me, Christmas is also defined by the poetry of Ann Weems. Her Christmas poems are a mainstay of our Christmas Eve worship as a congregation. This is her defining Advent poem - one of my favorites.

In each heart lies a Bethlehem,
            an inn where we must ultimately answer
            whether there is room or not.
When we are Bethlehem-bound
            we experience our own advent in his.
When we are Bethlehem bound
            we can no longer look the other way
                        conveniently not seeing stars
                        not hearing voices.
We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily
            tending our sheep or our kingdoms.

This Advent let’s go to Bethlehem
            and see this thing that the Lord has made known to us.
In the midst of shopping sprees
            let’s ponder in our hearts the Gift of Gifts.
Through the tinsel
            let’s look for the gold of the Christmas Star.
In the excitement and confusion, in the merry chaos,
            let’s listen for the brush of angels’ wings.
This Advent, let’s go to Bethlehem
            and find our kneeling places.

Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem, The Westminster Press, 1980.

That Awkward Smelly Advent Cousin - John the Baptist

Traditionally the second Sunday of Advent is dedicated to a remembrance and reflection upon the ministry and message of John the Baptist. It is almost trite these days to talk about how awkward it is in a season of peace and love, of joy and merriment to be confronted by the brusqueness of John’s method and message.

But here he is, and we cannot avoid him just as we cannot avoid the other uncomfortable family reunions we have throughout the holidays.

Below is a portion of Barbara Brown Taylor’s reflections on John, his message and his meaning for us this Advent season.

Advent in Two Minutes

The three Saturdays of Advent, I will share with you a video that hopefully will help with a better understanding of the season of Advent, a reflection on the holiday season, and even a multimedia way to help teach your children about the Season of Advent.

Here is one of my favorites from Busted Halo. A two minute summary on Advent - what it is and what it isn't. Enjoy.

In the Bleak Midwinter - Christina Rossetti

There is a whole category of Christmas Carols that are deeply beloved by pastors and yet dreaded by many a parishioner.

There is something about Christmas time that makes us want to return to the familiar, to the comfort of tradition and to the joy of little drummer boys. The hymn setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem is indeed one of my favorites, yet I know that speaks just a little too much of ice and of snow for it to consistently warm the hearts of my church at Christmas time.

And yet I return to it again and again for its simplicity, its beauty and its description of mother and child.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Advent Breath Prayer

A friend shared the other day that her most cherished times during the frantic days of Advent are sitting at night in her dark living room lit only by the lights on her Christmas Tree. I have yet to get my tree up this year, but I can totally relate to her sentiment. There is something sacred in that quiet space.

Today’s post is a prayer prompt using the practice of the Breath Prayer.

The Breath Prayer is the perfect prayer practice for those people, like me, who struggle to practice silent meditation or centering prayer. Instead of needing to empty your mind in the silence, you use your breath to mark the time and to repeat a simple prayer or piece of scripture.

It is my plan this year  - once that tree goes up - to spend time in the evenings in the dark of the December night next to my Christmas tree experimenting with this simple prayer practice.

Here are the instructions:

Get into a posture for praying – this can be on your knees, sitting, standing or whatever works for you.
Slow your breathing and think about the rhythm of your breath. Ask God to calm your mind and heart.
Repeat silently this prayer in whatever rhythm is most comfortable with your breathing. It is a little hard to describe, but you want to be repeating this phrase in your head as you inhale and exhale.

This is the traditional text for the breath prayer:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,  (inhale)  have mercy on me, a sinner. (exhale)”

Here is an Advent alternative taken from the Gospel of Luke -  

Sing out my soul, (inhale) my heart rejoices in the Lord (exhale)

And another from the first verse of the Gospel of John:

In the beginning was the Word, (inhale) and the Word was Life (exhale)
Continue repeating this prayer with every breath for 3 to 5 minutes.

I Don’t Hate Santa

Even though my husband and I decided early on that we would not “do” Santa with our son as he grew up, I do not hate Santa. I am in no way concerned that the letters of Santa’s name can easily be rearranged to spell “Satan.” In fact, I like the idea of Santa. I like decorating with Santas at Christmas. I even buy wrapping paper covered with pictures of the jolly old elf. I am not a Santa hater.

And yet we never did the Santa thing with my son. Here are five reasons behind our decision:

1. I didn’t want to intentionally lie to him about where gifts came from, with the inevitable moment at 8, 9 or 10 when he would indignantly accuse me of deceiving him.