The hospital chaplain - a nice woman - designs and leads the Christmas Eve service every year. It is nice to have church at work, of course, even rarely. But I was grumpy and picky this year, annoyed at the usual secular "peace on earth" that mentions beating swords into plowshares but never the prophet Joel, beating plowshares into swords. Wrong kind of peace, eh? And there was this story about... Christmas through the eyes of a child, and another about cute widdle Mugwumps. I felt proper outrage at this cuteness idolatry when talking about the Incarnation...
It's a highly adult and serious theological subject...
Except I realised in an instant that I had given the serious and adult subject no thought on my own this Advent. I realised that I had been far worse than distracted by cuteness and 60's liberalism - I have been apathetic - and I am ashamed. I dared to stand in judgement of others for some minor, silly sins, while commiting a great one myself.
The only time I have given serious thought to the Incarnation this Advent is when forced to - at Sunday worship, or at our traditional nightly Advent wreath ceremony at dinner. And even those, not very intently. I have mailed it in again, another year. I have done none of the work of worship.
Thank you church, for carrying me when I sat on the pavement and refused to walk a step on my own. That you God, for designing us to grow only in community, and sending me church.
Joyous Chrstmas to all
It's a highly adult and serious theological subject...
Except I realised in an instant that I had given the serious and adult subject no thought on my own this Advent. I realised that I had been far worse than distracted by cuteness and 60's liberalism - I have been apathetic - and I am ashamed. I dared to stand in judgement of others for some minor, silly sins, while commiting a great one myself.
The only time I have given serious thought to the Incarnation this Advent is when forced to - at Sunday worship, or at our traditional nightly Advent wreath ceremony at dinner. And even those, not very intently. I have mailed it in again, another year. I have done none of the work of worship.
Thank you church, for carrying me when I sat on the pavement and refused to walk a step on my own. That you God, for designing us to grow only in community, and sending me church.
Joyous Chrstmas to all
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