Years ago, when I was in high school, I was invited to be a bridesmaid in a wedding. The bride called me up at the last minute because one of her bridesmaids had dropped out. We weren’t that close any more, but I was happy to help out. When the service began, everything was gorgeous – so beautifully decorated – and she looked lovely in her gown. Before going too far into the service, the minister said to the couple, “I want you to take a moment and look at each other. You have been planning and preparing for this day for months. Things have gone wrong and fallen through. There have been surprises and loving gestures along the way. But all that chaos has brought you to this moment. You don’t need to plan or worry any more: this is your wedding. Stop and see the love and joy in one another’s eyes. Remember this.”
How easy it is for us to miss what’s happening right before our eyes! Just like that couple, all of our worry and efforts and preparation have brought us to this moment – to Christmas… Christmas is what is happening today and tomorrow whether we are ready or not, whether we feel the Christmas spirit or not. Christmas is here in this moment, in this church, in your neighbor’s eyes. Take a quiet moment now to ponder the mystery and the miracle, to treasure the birth of Christ. [pause].
Christmas is here, not just on the calendar, but here in our hearts. Just as Christ was born in that manger 2,000 years ago, so he is being born within our souls each and every day. Christmas is here every time we remember that God is with us, among us, never to leave us. We might get overwhelmed by the mess of every day, but Jesus comes into the world without our help.