When I was a kid, the coming of Santa Claus blended vaguely in my mind with the coming of Christ. December was a mixture of Santa and the baby Jesus, just like the weather was a mix of snow and slop. I was filled with anticipation!
Think of the animals involved, too. Reindeer from the North Pole, Mary riding to Bethlehem on a donkey, shepherds arriving with their sheep . . . Baaaah! All creation seemed to be getting into the spirit. Even the smiling animals were crammed into my December expectations.
Our family Christmas tree stood near our little manger scene without any sense of cognitive dissonance whatsoever. It all seemed so logical and natural. I embraced two forms of hope: secular and sacred. Why not? It was all about me anyway! Santa was coming to please me. Jesus was born to save me. December was about me, me, me.
In high school I had a girlfriend. Then December became all about us. Buying presents for her; her buying presents for me. Us, us, us.
At that time I could not imagine 2009 and being 57 years old. I could not imagine the death of my parents, going to bed at 9pm, aching muscles in the morning, or being a hospice chaplain and serving people who would not live through December—who would not live to see another Christmas.
I could not imagine 10% unemployment in America, 36 million Americans without health insurance, and 25% of American children living on food stamps. Half the kids in New Orleans and St. Louis are on food stamps.
Santa and Jesus have a huge month ahead of them. While millions of people will shop at malls, millions more will be visiting food pantries and thrift shops, and sleeping on sofas at someone else’s house. Some kids will get lots of presents, like I did. Others will get only one or two, if any.
Yet good people will step up and collect food baskets and wrap presents for the less fortunate. Millions of caring people will go the extra mile for others. They will sacrifice time, energy, and money to do good for those who are struggling to make ends meet.
In secular terms, we are Santa’s helpers. In Christian terms, we are the hands and feet of Christ. In human terms, we are humans in solidarity with other humans who are suffering.
December is not about me anymore. That ended years ago. December is about bringing hope to the hopeless. December is the month of anticipation: anticipating the needs of others and doing something about it. This is what God did when he sent Jesus into our world. Like mercy, Jesus always runs toward the screaming.
--Brad
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