Christmas, a season of light born out of a dark time. The intersection of joy and sorrow, the oxymoronic situation of God’s greatest gift: the birth of a child. During this Yuletide, in-between festive parties, gift wrapping and food prepping, I visited new mommas to drop off meals. Oh what sweet tender mercy God cradles mothers infants:
“ He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”
Isaiah 40:11
Witnessing such a tender and vulnerable time of a mother with an infant, when she rejoices in such beautiful new life while sorrows as she recovers physically and mentally from labor, I narrowly focus on the figure of Mary the Mother of God in my nativity sets. She who through blood, sweat, tears and pain brought Jesus, Immanuel God with us, into the world only for her first and only son to die a mere 33 years later through blood, sweat, tears and pain.
So, this Christmas I rejoice in the delight of my own three little beautiful children, especially my crawling six month old daughter experiencing her first Christmas and wonder at such merriment and brightness. Yet, in advent season, I sensed my own darkness, the older brother sin mentality, a weariness of “doing the right thing” staying home in in Father’s house while the “prodigal son” just returns. During the Holiday seasons, as we gather with extended family, often the best and worst of humanity is exposed, the love and the disdain displayed. Every family includes a fool who squanders values, abandons familial relationships, and indulges his or her own selfish desires and whims. Deep in our own dark souls, the temptation to leave God and become our own gods infects even our DNA as sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. Yet, even if the younger son never repents yet still returns for the holiday season feast in his Father’s home, the older “good” yet cold hearted son must warm up and open arms for “‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31). So as we embrace the light despite the darkness externally and internally this Christmastide, may us older brothers embrace God’s unconditional love and mercy even to those prodigal family members for:
“Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.” - Psalm 89: 29
The same tender mercy that embraces the mother with a newborn, holds the worst sinner, both bought through labor pains into life eternal. The Good Shepherd holds the lambs, guides the ewes and seeks the one lost sheep. From the cradle to the cross, God’s tender mercy caresses all sorrows and joys of each sheep both in the herd and those wondering near cliffs.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
- Isaiah 9:6
Merry Christmas, stay bright.
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