What Child Is This?
It’s January and we are in the post-Christmas lackluster days. After the “what child is this” wonder, Mary and Joseph enter a period of normalcy. After the dazzling Christmas Eve drama: angels, shepherds, stars, and Magi – after the wondrous birth is over – normalcy. How do we live after miracles end? How do we live the day after our honeymoon ends? How do we wake up the day after Christmas surrounded by leftovers, empty boxes, wrapping paper, and half empty cookie tins? To some degree things go back to normal. We cannot capture the light nor can we freeze-frame the happy moments; we pick up the routines of life eating, working, cleaning, forgiving, and hoping. Normalcy reigns – however I believe that within us and around us the miracles, the wonder, and the glamorous holy persists. The moments remain with us while subdued and somewhat silent. Maybe our responses to the special times are more important than their fleeting glitter. How do we linger after the bright Christmas morn?
If we watch with patience, if we wait with attentiveness we smell the frankincense in February, we taste the Christmas pudding and wedding cake in July, we renew our baptisms in August. If we give thanks for the memories, we feel joy again. We may, we can, we will be touched by the holy again.
Following the Christmas Story in Luke, two interesting, beyond their prime characters, are introduced. Simeon was a devout man who was addicted to hope. He watched in the Temple waiting and hoping for salvation. Today we might consider him daft, crazy, a loon for he believed that the Holy Spirit of God had spoken to him telling him that he would see the Messiah before he died. He sees the poor couple and the infant. He grabs up the child and praises God saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Simeon with great excitement then blesses Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He shows us what to do with our normal lives. Live every day with expectant hope. Live every day with attentive watchfulness and when the miracles come, praise God and bless each other.
And then old prophetess, Anna, sees them, and she rushes over in agreement with Simeon. She rushes over to “praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Israel.” She also teaches us to praise God. Simeon praises God, Anna praises God, even the shepherds after leaving the spectacular Christmas Eve drama praise God, “the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” Praise the Lord, our Christmas story celebrates how revelation comes from surprising places: from a crazy man, an ancient woman, from filthy shepherds, and from a newborn child.
As mundane hours follow fleeting miracles celebrate by praising God. Spend the normal days addicted to hope. Watch all the people around you - maybe especially the elderly, the wacky, and the children. See the miracles of God within them. Give thanks that the Messiah is born, that salvation has come and comes again and again.