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Here we are, only a few days from Christmas. How’s your spirit? Are you racing around to find gifts and food for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, or have you planned and are now enjoying your readiness, adding the finishing touches to gifts, decorations and meal planning?
My mother bought Christmas cards as they went on sale after Christmas and started gift gathering during the summer in anticipation of the holidays. She believed in long-term planning, always carrying a calendar with her. I did not inherit that gene and every year find myself panicking as Christmas draws near. There is always a moment in the mall or when shopping online when I feel the anxiety build up, and I do not know which way to turn.
Planning is wise. There are volumes written about how it reduces stress, offers control over the situation, leads to an improved outcome, allows you to be more present to things in the moment, makes better use of time and money and is a form of self-care. Sometimes, however, as the saying from the Scottish poem goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men go awry.”
In today’s gospel, we see Mary and Joseph ceding control as their plans veer in directions they did not anticipate. We do not read of complaints; we read how they adapted, accepting the fact that their lives were changing. They were betrothed, expecting a life together much like their peers, but this was not to be. Joseph follows the guidance he experiences in a dream and protects Mary and her unborn son.
For those of us who are strict planners, there is a lesson here: stay flexible, pay attention to what is happening around you, and be open to change. Watch and listen for the voice of God. Mary listened as did Joseph.
With only a few days left before we gather for Christmas liturgies and celebrations with family and friends, in what direction are your plans going? Is the direction a straight line, planned for some time or is the path a bit more circuitous?
Either way, it is helpful to reflect on the journey Mary and Joseph took leading up to the birth of Jesus. Their acceptance of life moving in a direction they did not anticipate might influence your response to Christmas this year.
As you move through these final days of preparation, try not to get sidetracked with the consumerism that influences us despite our best efforts to keep it at bay. Keep in mind the true meaning of our traditions and enjoy all the season has to offer.
Peace,
Anne
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