Through Stained Glass: The Final Advent-Word-a-Day--Emmanuel

 Emmanuel

God with us. 

Christmas is the season we celebrate the birth of the Christ child -- the Incarnation. The Divine doesn't dwell elsewhere apart from creation -- but the Divine is flowing in and through creation! Our Advent journey reminded me of this reality: the nearness of God, the hereness of God, and the nowness of God. 

Remember what we heard when we listened to the angels on Christmas Eve? That peace has been achieved not through Jesus's death and resurrection but through Jesus's birth: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to humanity (anthropois)

— the object of God's favor." 

From here on out, we will read Scripture lessons that bring us to the fullness of the Living God's presence here. We will read about Jesus speaking of the future -- but he'll tell us this: don't worry about it (see Matthew 6:25-34)! Salvation is here -- God with us draws us out of our separations and into the fullness of Love and Life. 

Remember, if this is confusing or there is some unlearning that has to happen -- that's okay! Mary took time to ponder the perplexing proclamations before consenting! Listening to the Christmas message, I hear the good news: God shares this life with us. The Christmas season reminds us that all of this life is sacred. 

Near the beginning of our Advent journey, my beloved Golden Retriever, Chloe, was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Chloe has responded well to her treatment. The day the test results came back, I remember my heart sinking deeper than I knew was possible. I found comfort in reading the prophets as they preached that God's salvation includes all creation and the peace of Immanuel includes all living flesh. I know soon the treatment will wear off, and cancer will do what cancer will do. Still, in the presence of death, Chloe has taught me about life. She has brought me to the present, living here and now -- fully aware of the love of the Living God in her. The Living God is present in our dying and our living. The Incarnation testifies to this good news. In this season, Chloe, who is the most anxious dog I've been a companion to, lives wholeheartedly. She is teaching me that death is not an evil to get rid of but rather a central ingredient to a life of wholeness and abundance. We've gone slow these last few weeks and will go even slower in the days ahead. However, we do so not with fear but with deep faithfulness, trusting that we belong entirely to God in life and death. 

Chloe is teaching me that life and death are necessary for the energizing Spirit to become embodied in our world. The fullness of life is now. 

Christmas is not over, friends. We are on day three of twelve, counting down until Epiphany -- when the Magi from the East arrive at the Holy Family. Listening to the Epiphany story sheds light on the reality that this journey we call faith rarely takes a straight path. For our hearts, hands, and resources to transform, we must listen deeply to the Living God and trust the process. We anticipated the good news of God's dwelling with us during Advent. Christmas is the proclamation that God is here, now, with all of us and all creation. Our next stage in the journey invites us to leave familiar places for new ones -- which will require humility, letting go, and moving bravely in a new direction. 

I'm thankful for those who followed along on this Advent Word-a-Day journey. Your likes and comments, shared pictures, and stories not only encouraged me but brought me great comfort in this season of mystery. I thank God that I do not go alone in the days ahead. Not only do I have the promise of God's presence, but I will see it embodied in the ways we share our lives. In my bones, I have courage knowing that as the Living God reveals to us more of God's fullness, I have you all as companions. 

May we embody the good news of our faith -- that God is with us -- and as we go forward, we move towards our desires for Love with intentionality and a commitment to listen with all that makes us beloved. 

Merry Christmas, friends. 

God is with us!