Grumpy Advent Reflections #4

Nothing grabbed me from the readings today.
But I read this :http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/reflection/
A Benedictine Monk who writes a daily reflection. Set me thinking

For me as a Christian the assurance that God cares for us, that life has meaning, all this is inseparable from belief in Christ. The basis for my hope and trust is what God has done through the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. I know that there are people who are hopeful, positive, able to face whatever life brings without that belief.

I wonder how you negotiate this time of year with those family and friends who are not “Christian” – even in a nominal sense?

I guess I am assuming that since you want to read this stuff that the Christian faith is relatively important to you!

It is very easy for me to set up a ghetto faith for most of my life - where for most of the time I don’t have to dialogue with people outside my belief system.

But when it comes to those closest to us, especially at big festivals like Christmas, the issue becomes more complex doesn’t it?
It can be harder to ignore the divide between those involved in the “religious activities”, and those who aren’t.

If we are going to celebrate with integrity then it requires us to know the “Whats” and “Whys”
and to be able to communicate with others if (and hopefully) when they ask.

The problem for me is that this can lead to “evangelism” in the traditional sense of
“we have the answers – come follow us and you’ll be right mate!” - which really doesn’t work for me.

At a deeper level, I have a lot of trouble believing in an “in/out” God who would co-create a life, a brain, a soul, a wondrous creature capable of incredible feats, only to say “There’s one way only to me”

Its not about my “doing” this work anyway.
It’s about God - God becoming fully human so we can know God better.

Does all of this wondering prevent me from being happy to talk about why Christmas is special
and from celebrating it with gusto (and the odd High Mass if I can get it?)

Of course not.

My part is to know myself, my tradition and be ready to listen and speak with love and honesty and openness.

Does it lead me to want to understand other peoples traditions and thinking and beliefs?

You bet.

And if God can become a baby so we can understand what its all about,
then I can lean to be quiet long enough to do the same to my fellow humans!