Christmas Stuffs

 

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

―John 1:14

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Dear Kate,

There is something artificial about Christmas, asks to be called out, only to expose how artificial it is for some to feel necessary to make the call at all.

By "Christmas" I mean how we do Christmas: by skill (arte in Latin), to make (factum), for a particular purpose (together: artifact in English).

Christmas speaks about the very stuffs of our being--how not?  "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," in flesh that is our flesh and blood our blood.  "Helpless babe," that's what we call Jesus, but no more than any other baby and no less cared for than every.  "Full of grace and truth," our own birth's speak about the wellspring that is Jesus.

The gaudy display of our joyfulness, is, then, only natural.  If we find ourselves couldn't help doing Christmas without overdoing it, it's not embarrassment that we should feel or apology make, just as not for a baby hungering and wondering.

Rather, go ahead and make some stuffs, fashion life out of the very materials that are gifted us.  Sing, dance, cry.  Cry a lot, no less than you laugh, no telling which is which.

There, we shall meet Jesus in our flesh and blood.

Yours, Alex