It is Christmas once again – that wondrously rich Christian holiday that’s always meant different things to different people.

For example, many little kids take it literally; leaving cookies out for St. Nick, dressing up as angels in the Christmas pageant, and even singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

Teens often take it pejoratively; like one churlish adolescent who changes the words on Christmas Eve from, ‘Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again’- to Christ has lied, Christ is in prison, Christ will come at 10.

Then, there’s us adults – who have survived all that – and who still choose to commemorate this holiday - not seeking to take it literally or pejoratively, but seriously.

These past four weeks of Advent have taken us on a journey of preparation and readiness to look for the Christ Child. And when that little porcelain baby is placed into that crèche on Christmas Day, we are reminded of the central message of the season: that this child is with us – Emmanuel – God is with us.

There is no place we can go where God is not. Every situation we encounter, no matter how random or haphazard – is part of an endlessly complex orchestration – and has not happened by accident. Every person we meet, as tempted as we are to chalk it up to the accidental or arbitrary, is part of a divine plan to reconcile all of Creation.

And it all starts with that little baby – God permeating creation - and it continues with our quest -
For we realize that every person we meet has that presence in them – and the wonderful thing that happens when we treat others as if Jesus is in them, is that Christ becomes more present in our lives as well. When we take care to intentionally look for Christ in every person - we will find Christ in ourselves.

And there’s no better Christmas present than that.


Reading:
God is not Great – Christopher Hitchens
Made in Detroit – Paul Clemons
God is Back – Micklethwaite and Wooldridge