The Holy Season

I recently visited a man terribly sick with many ailments … the end is near for him.  As I visited, he had some difficulty and I watched as his wife and daughter cared for him.  As I observed their loving care – they stood him up and cared for him, as they gently laid him down, arranging the pillows and bed for the most comfort possible – I wondered how many women over the eons have cared for others in such a fashion, setting aside so many of their own needs and desires to offer nurture to another human being?  I wondered how many such unselfish acts of kindness occur every day, unknown and unheralded?  I marveled at the strength it takes to watch someone you care for slowly decline, even as you provide more and more care and love.

And I thought of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  At this time of year we celebrate birth, the promise of life which reaches out in front of us.  We ignore the messiness and pain of the actual childbirth itself (maybe the narrative was written by a man?) and pretty much jump from one angel announcement to another, singing of the “good news of great joy, that to us this day in the city of David is born a savior ….”

At this time of year we do not consider that with life must come death … in fact, in our American culture we pretty much try to ignore death altogether.  We seem to be terribly afraid of it; Bishop Will Willimon was once asked how he preached of life after death to Baby-boomers, to which he replied: “Life after death?  First I have to convince them they are going to die!”

At this time of year we celebrate the Holy Season of preparation and birth but we must be aware that with birth comes the eventuality of death.  Mary endured the pain of childbirth, rejoiced in the life of her son, but then one day had to endure a pain far greater than that of any child birth … the pain of a child death.

As we celebrate the promise of new life during this Holy Season we must be aware that for some it is also a season of loss as they remember celebrations past, as they remember loved ones who are no longer here.  Remember those people as a reminder that life is short and that every day should be celebrated, for each day of life is a gift.  Hold your loved ones near and rejoice … and remember the ultimate promise of this season, which is that though life here may end, as Christians we proclaim that it is not THE end.  With birth comes the eventuality of death but with THIS birth we declare that death itself is conquered in ways we cannot comprehend.

So rejoice and be glad, for unto us this day in the city of David is born a savior ….

See you in church.