Preparing for Jesus
Advent Reflections by Rev. Nancy
Over the years I have collected Christmas nativity sets. In fact, I brought a new one home from my recent trip to the Holy Lands. It is made of olive wood and I bought it from a man selling various items out of his trunk just outside the entrance to the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem.
My love for nativities came from my mother who always made a big deal of putting up our family set early in Advent. One by one she would take the figures that had been carefully packed away the year before. As she would put each piece in place she would be sure to tell the story and the role each figure played in the drama.
There would be Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, animals, angels and the wise men. One piece would always be missing and that was the baby Jesus. He would ceremoniously be put in his place between Mary and Joseph on Christmas Eve after we returned home from the worship service. It was a way of living out the story year after year.
My Mom would always keep our Christmas decorations up long after my friends' families had put their's in the attic. I'm serious when I say our tree (in the early days a real one) and decorations would still be up until early February. She never wanted to put Jesus away.
I can't say that I continue her tradition of prolonging Christmas as my tree comes down very soon after the new year, and occasionally even before January 1. But I too am reluctant to put Jesus away and so it is that in my house and in my office you will find nativity scenes out and about.
This Christmas as we joyfully celebrate the birth of our Lord may each of us receive into our hearts the gift of this one that was so generously given to us . . . the gift of God's Son. And may we always allow him to live within us and to shine through all that we say and do. Let us not put Jesus away after this Christmas.
I hope to see you in church throughout this Advent season.
Nancy