My cluttered office walls are adorned with cartoons, illustrations and art that I need to stare at every day, I suppose. They include a series of four paintings called The Voyage of Life by 19th century landscape artist Thomas Cole, two Salvador Dalis, Rembrandts Prodigal Son, an African drum for circle gatherings, a mason beehive transformed to a prayer habitat, diplomas and certificates (to convince myself that Im legit), plus irresistible finds such as a Star Wars character Meyers-Briggs temperament chart, church conference tiki bar and tattoo coupons, a Simpsons last supper at Moes, a vintage Winnie the Pooh sentiment, and then my favorite illustration

A bicyclist pedals forward on a smooth path nearing a flagged finish line. The caption reads, Your Plan. Below it is the same cyclist climbing a steep hill that descends into a pile of rocks. Further ascent leads to a rickety wooden bridge over a ravine followed by a need for the bike to be boarded on a boat to cross a flooded quarry, more rocky ascents, then a thunderstormwith no finish line in sight. That caption reads, Gods Plan.

This comparison/contrast might in a nutshell embody Christmas (roasted chestnut shell?). We lay out our ideals and vision for what seasonal celebrations should be like and even more profoundly, what the newborn Christ Child should be for us. But then our holiday plans could be derailed as easily as a family member breaking the news that her boss demands she work retail on Christmas Eve. Our ideals about baby Jesus leave the manger after we actually hear the teachings by adult Jesus. (Whoa, Ill pretend he didnt ask me to accept THAT person.)

I believe it is Gods plan for us to look at the Christmas story through the lens introduced by the radical Advent Scriptures, especially the dark readings from the Gospel of Mark and II Peter this year. Jesus entered a world that was broken, cruel and suffering. The embodiment of peace at his birth was sorely needed. His teachings of justice and deliverance that challenged the empire are also sorely needed for us to emerge into the peaceable kingdom.

While traveling on your journey through life, rejoice when your path includes all the verses to a Silent Night. But look for Gods will also when the vigil candle gets snuffed out, when you are forced to change plans, or need to concentrate on a friends problem rather than your own. If the perfectly formed vessel of your life develops a crack, take heart that you are not losing it but can now actually let your love and insight pour forth into others.

The path from the hills of Judea to Bethlehem is rocky. Travel to the stable with shepherds who will assist you should you stumble. You will then together find the road illuminated by the angelic chorus. The light will not shine just at Christmas but in your life here on after.

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Christmas Meditation 2014