Love Among Us

All of this is the work and the kindness of God.
Luke 1:18

As I wrap the few Christmas gifts my husband and I acquired for our family, the wife, mom and grandma in me hope that this will be a happy Christmas for all concerned. Though I’ve done my best to prepare for our smaller-than-usual gathering, one never knows what lies ahead. I consider the mother of Jesus and her plans. When Gabriel appeared to announce an alternative, the news must have startled Mary at best. “A son? My son? How can this possibly be?” Still, this brave teenager agreed to open herself to the challenges which lay ahead. Like every parent among us, Mary allowed her life to be changed forever by the child God had given her to love.

Over the past nine months, we’ve had our lives changed as well. A few days from now, we’ll celebrate Christmas in ways we never expected to. Who would have expected masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing to be a part of our observances? Still, God invites us to adjust, to refocus and to embrace this precious time. The child who changed everything two millenniums ago remains among us to do the same today. Like our own, this child seeks our attention, our focus and our love. Though our children grow and leave home to make their own way as we did, Jesus never leaves. He grew and prospered, died and rose only to remain around us and within us every moment of our lives.

It seems logical to do whatever we do this Christmas and always with Jesus in mind. Like our own children, that little babe in the manger sometimes makes unexpected demands. Like our own children, he also rewards us with greater love than seems possible.

Dear God, thank you for transforming this world and each of us through Jesus’ life among us.

©2020 Mary Penich – All Rights Reserved