Moving Forward

Well, it's over.  The shopping, the visiting, the eating and the season that we prepared for is now about to be history.  How was it?  Has the preparation been fruitful?  How did you do at getting to the true meaning of Christmas?  Are you ready to let go of 2013 and move into 2014?  And what about those resolutions?

I invite you to take a minute to reflect on the passing of the Christmas holiday and the greeting of the New Year.       

Meister Eckhart, the great 14th century mystic once said, "What good is it if the Virgin Mary gave birth to Christ 1400 years ago if I do not give birth to him today?"  Have we given birth to Christ this Christmas season?  Are we truly living the message of Christmas each day of our lives?  But what is that message of Christmas?  Is it a new car with a big red ribbon in our driveway?  Is it a new phone for one of our children?  Probably not.  Would it be fair to say that we have strayed from the real meaning of the season?  Probably.  The meaning of Christmas is love.  God cares for us so much that God comes as a human being in the person of Jesus.  You know Jesus, the one who said love your neighbor as yourself, forgive seventy times seven times, blessed are the peace makers and care for the poor.

Yes, Christ's life is the message of Christmas and if we want to continue to celebrate that then we must learn how to follow him.  How are we doing at loving the outcast?  Caring for the poor?  Forgiving those who have hurt us?  Forgiving ourselves?  If a war on Christmas has been waged it has been waged on the gospel message of Jesus.  Selling Christmas right after Halloween?  When I was a young boy,  the Christmas merchandise and displays didn't come out until after Thanksgiving.  Where are we going with this and is it making our world any better? 

Thank God for new years.  It gives us a chance to start over and to renew ourselves and renew our commitment to developing a deepening relationship with our God.  Maybe some resolutions like this may help:

• Losing weight not only from our bodies but also from our spirits.  God has already forgiven us for the things for which we won't forgive ourselves.  Let go of the extra weight we carry around.
• Spending more time with the ones we love.  How about God also.  A nice walk in a beautiful place,  just listening to our God in a quiet space, and in the presence of others at home or at a religious service.
• Achieving our goals.  How about shifting our priorities?  Instead of making more money how about finding new ways to help others who have little or nothing?  How about achieving a simpler life or finding new ways to give of ourselves to family and friends?

These are a few ways we may change our lives and give birth to Christ in our world today.  This can be done no matter what religion we profess because the Cosmic Christ transcends belief structures and transforms the human heart.  Remember that in the gospels Jesus asks us to follow Him.  That's the hard part.  But it can be done and I believe that when it is done our lives once again become meaningful and joyous.  Happy New Year and may you be open in every moment to God's presence in your life!!!