Rethinking Christmas, Part 3
And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Luke 6:19
Last week I wrote that although Jesus saves us from our sins, we are not necessarily saved from the earthly consequences of our actions. We are saved from the sense of isolation that drives the types of behaviors that separate us from God and others. Jesus modeled Emmanuel, God with us,as an example for us to follow: Because God is with us, we are never isolated. We, like Jesus, are One with God. Spiritual maturity is developing the conscious awareness of that Oneness so we live united with our inner, divine nature.
There are many examples of suffering that we bring upon ourselves from self-centered, immature behaviors. As we mature into our divine Oneness, those types of behaviors naturally diminish. But much suffering also occurs for no reason other than our bodies being of the earth and, as such, subject to decay. Examples abound of those who treat their bodies and others well only to receive a diagnosis of cancer, suffer the ravages of aging, or become victims of social violence or natural disasters. Even when our suffering is self-inflicted, however, Jesus’ life reminds us that earthly suffering lasts only for a time – a long time, perhaps, but it does end and gives way to something better, as illustrated by the resurrection.
Finding our place in the Jesus story is challenging. The ordinary and difficult parts of the birth of Jesus are often romanticized, divinized, or ignored. But Jesus’ birth was very much like ours – a mix of ordinary and difficult. If we do not find our story in Jesus’ story, we miss its message. We cannot become Christ-ians by worshipping Jesus in his divinity, nor will we find our place in the Christmas story in that way. The Christ is larger than the person of Jesus of Nazareth because Christ is the Spirit of God expressing in and through earthly matter, which includes us. We become Christians by following Jesus in his humanity, as driven and animated by the Spirit of God. That is how we, too, take our place in the Christ – how we become Christian – as expressions of God in flesh. Jesus commanded us to love God, love others, and to follow him. As we consciously awaken to our Oneness with God, we allow the power of God to emerge through us. Following Jesus means we do the same healing work Jesus did, adjusted to our particular abilities and social contexts.
Following Jesus for us may not mean healing lepers but reconciling broken relationships. It may not mean restoring physical sight but helping another overcome their blindness to the suffering of others. It may not mean feeding a multitude but assuring that one hungry person is fed today. To heal means to restore to wholeness, which was the work of the Spirit through Jesus and is ours today. Healing does not imply that physical and emotional conditions are exactly as we wish them to be. Rather, wholeness comes with the acceptance of whatever conditions are present in the moment. Wholeness requires faith that God is at work in and through us, and that God’s work is good. Thus, Jesus often told those he healed, “Your faith has made you well.” The magic of healing occurs when faith – our conscious belief – meets the power of God. The work is God’s, but it requires human hands and hearts to manifest. The author of Luke writes, “…power came out from (Jesus) and healed all…”
Christmas is a combination of two words: Christ and mass. If Christ is the Spirit of God working in and through earthly creation, and Mass is a celebration, then Christ-mas is a celebration of the Spirit working through us. And yes, the traditional celebration points to the birth of Jesus of Nazareth; but it is not only about Jesus. Rather, it is about us consciously applying the birth, life, and teachings of Jesus to our lives so the Spirit of God works through us, too. It is a conscious choice we make, along with a willing surrender to and awareness of the promptings of the Spirit. In our quest to rethink Christmas and find our place within it, we begin with Jesus’ instruction: Follow me! The Spirit of God is not intended to be worshipped but allowed to express. It is not an icon to be pondered but a power to be engaged. The Spirit heals our world through us. If not, it is given a token nod once a year, admired from a distance, then packed away until next December.
This is the 3rd in a series about Rethinking Christmas. The opinions expressed are mine. To engage with me or to explore contemplative spiritual direction, contact me at ghildenbrand@sunflower.com.
Upcoming Contemplative Events, free and open to all:
Contemplative Advent Class: Exploring Christmas through a different lens. Saturday mornings at 9:30 am, December 2 through January 6; FUMC Celebration Center, 867 Hwy 40, Lawrence, KS.
Indoor Labrynth: Open from 9am to noon on January 5 at Peace Mennonite church, 615 Licoln St., Lawrence, KS.
Contemplating Grace 