Recently I saw an article on Stuff News website titled: A very boring Christmas is just what we deserve. I know it has been a while since I have put something up. But do we deserve a boring Christmas? Why would Christmas be boring? Our Christmas tree is up, I can see presents under the tree but am I ready for Christmas? We are just a couple of days shy of Christmas and already I can feel the pressure of Christmas building.
This is a season to be grateful and be thankful but as I look back, so often this season can be a very stressful time of the year. There are so many things to do in very little time. Organising and preparing Christmas meals, so many gifts to buy and so many places to go. There is just so much planning and most of the time we have to dig deep into our pockets for money to satisfy this longing and craving for material needs. How do we avoid all the stress, the panic attacks and anxiety that surrounds us at this time of the year?
For the last 4 weeks, I have been walking and reflecting with my bible study group in prison on the meaning of Christmas. How can we /I make a difference this Christmas? How can we / I live the Christmas spirit despite being in prison? How did Mary and Joseph do it? How did Zechariah and Elizabeth cope with society? What was their secret? What was Mary’s secret? What was Elizabeth’s secret? How did Joseph handle his situation to prevent his world from turning upside down? How did Zechariah handle his situation to prevent his world from turning upside down? How did they preserve their mental health? Do I trust myself when I am being pressured? These are a few of the questions we have reflected on and talked about.
For me, I can only imagine what Mary, Elizabeth, Joesph and Zachariah went through and all the dramas that came along with it. Look at Mary, a young woman who is engaged to Joseph, a young woman who hasn’t been with a man. What must have been going through her mind when she was told that she will give birth and have a son? What would the community think of her? What about Joseph. How would he feel? The shame, the uncertainty when he heard that Mary was with Child. What about Elizabeth and Zechariah. The confusion they may have had, a thousand questions that they may have asked.
The answer lies in Mary’s response “how can this come about” or “how can this be”. Mary’s response is filled with Humility, Wonder, Surprise, Faith and Obedience. Perhaps the reason they were not stressed out, depressed, anxious or frustrated was because they knew that it WAS NEVER ABOUT THEM. What they were experiencing meant that they were serving and preparing for a higher cause.
No wonder we get stressed in life, no wonder I get stressed in life, I panic and try and work myself to death because I am wanting to fulfil my ego and will. Am I living my life so Gods will and work be done? Gods will is not always looking into the mirror and seeing ourselves it also includes looking outside the window and looking at our neighbours, family and friends. Mary gave the perfect response ” I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me”. Mary went out of her way to visit Elizabeth. Mary was shocked that the Son of God would be conceived in her. Elizabeth was shocked that the Mother of God would come and visit her. John the Baptist leapt inside the womb not for himself but for the Son of God. It was never about them.
And guess what? This is the best way to live our lives and live our Christmas. Christmas is not about looking into the mirror or looking inward and thinking that the world revolves around us and everything is about me, myself and I. Stop looking inward, stop looking into the mirror and start looking out the window. The more we look out the more He will amaze and shock us. We will be led to people, places, and situations that we never dreamed of. I believe if we do this more often our Christmas would not be boring
Romano Reconstructed 