Just saying that is in some ways a countercultural declaration. But it’s true—much of the world around us believes that Christmas is over, even before the trashmen have picked up the discarded packaging from all the present from the curb and carried them off to a landfill. Stores are preparing for post-Christmas sales with deep discounts. Already, right now, people who just spent weeks putting up their tree and lighting up their house brighter than the alien spaceship from Close Encounters of the Third Kind will begin tearing everything down and boxing everything up before the Ghost of Thanksgiving turkey has even been made into turkey tetrazzini. The creches will be deconstructed faster than a traveling circus leaving town one step ahead of the law.
That’s why I give thanks that we belong to a tradition that insists that Christmas is a season. That insists that Christmas is just beginning. And even, if you will bear with me, suggests that Christmas lasts year-round.
It’s even right there in between the lines in our gospel – right after Mary was left pondering and the shepherds departed to rejoice and praise God and count how many sheep might have wandered off or gotten their horns stuck in a bramble bush in their absence.
It doesn’t make it into the lectionary, but Mary and Joseph and that little baby were still there. And that baby still needed to be tended, and fed, and burped, and changed, and swaddled, and rocked. Mary and Joseph don’t even know the Magi are on the way. But Jesus still needs tending, still needs to be cared for and adored and kept warm.
And that’s an important reminder for all of us. If we think that Christmas is just one day, we lose sight of the reason for the season.
No, Christmas is more than one day. It’s more than 12 days, despite what the song—and the liturgical calendar says. And Christmas is the celebration of the coming into the world of the One whom we call Wonderful Counselor, Our Savior and Redeemer,-- but, especially, we call him Love Incarnate “Love Came Down at Christmas,” or so claims the classic Christmas carol.
But love is meant to STAY at Christmas—and even beyond Christmas.
Sometimes we can get too busy in the hubbub of the season to remember that. We can get distracted wanting the shiny things, wanting everything to be perfect, putting all this pressure on ONE single day—one and a half days if you include Christmas eve night—that we forget what Christmas is all about.
We often say Christmas lasts 12 days. But what do we do on day 13 to make Christmas a feast EVERY day?
I saw this meme on Facebook as I was posting a prayer the other day that suggests an answer, and it moved me. I added a few tweaks, but I wanted to share it with you. It’s a spin-off on 1stCorinthians 13.
I call it First Christmas-ians 13.
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
but do not show love to my family and my neighbors,
I am just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at meal time,
but do not show love to my family and my neighbors,
I'm just another cook.
If I sit down at a magnificent table without thankfulness and love,
or forget the hungry in our midst,
I have forgotten the reason for the season.
If I have remembered to buy all the batteries of every kind,
including the rechargeable ones plugged in,
but forget to love,
I have no power.
If I work at a soup kitchen,
carol in the nursing home,
and give all that I have to charity,
but do not show love to my family and my neighbors,
it profits me nothing.
If I trim the tree with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes,
attend a myriad of holiday parties,
and sing in the choir's cantata,
but do not focus on those I love the most
and those who are or feel unloved in the world,
I have missed the point.
In other words…
Love sets the decorating aside to kiss the spouse or buy the hungry a meal.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love awards points for effort when the heart is in the right place.
Love is thankful rather than grasping for more.
Love is patient when things go wrong, especially at Christmas.
Love recognizes and is present with those for whom Christmas is hard.
Love stops the cooking to hug a child or call an elderly friend.
Love recognizes that for some people,
Christmas is not a day off from work.
Christmas is not a day off from work.
Love doesn't envy another’s home
that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens
or Christmas lights that can be seen from space.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way or be silent,
or expect them only to attend the children’s service,
but is thankful that they are there to be in the way,
for they represent life and hope and joy in their purest forms.
Love sees the face of Baby Jesus in every child,
no matter how fussy, wet, hungry, hangry, or overtired.
Love admires the dad in flour-smeared jeans
frantically assembling a present at three in the morning
as much as if he were Anderson Cooper
hosting the Christmas parade on TV
in a Ralph Lauren Purple Label suit.
Love lets the Mom with the wailing toddler
trying to grab all the candy
cut in front in the checkout line at the grocery store
and tells her she is a rock star.
cut in front in the checkout line at the grocery store
and tells her she is a rock star.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return,
but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love doesn’t judge when it could hug.
Love wears a face mask around strangers
and is willing to sacrifice comfort to prevent others becoming ill.
Love bears all things (except grudges),
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails.
Tinder-dry trees will fill the landfill,
video games will break,
single earrings will be lost,
big screen TVs will become obsolete,
leftovers will turn to green furry goo in the back of the fridge.
But the gift of love will endure--
and will endure the whole year ‘round.
Welcome Jesus. Welcome Christmas.
Let us live out our love always and every day, and let us share that love with each other, and the world.
Amen.
Preached at the 10:30 am Christmas Day Eucharist at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Ellisville MO.
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