Christmas Reflection
Tony E Dillon Hansen
25 December
2018
Merry Christmas to you and may you be blessed with the grace of
this season now and through the coming year.
I write today to reflect upon the year, upon old ideas
“re-visioned”, and new opportunities going forward. I am not going to try to
project to you that you should believe as I do nor is the attempt to “save”
anyone. My writing is more friendly and
wishing to share a personal reflection about this year and this season. Today,
I write with a bit of grace in my heart, with somber humility and no
expectation of how one should receive these words, but I pray from Psalm 19 that
words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable.
“In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1) is how we begin the
Gospel of John and it is fitting that I am using the word to bring this
reflection to you. This also relives the beginning of the creation stories of Genesis
1 and 2. Still, A word is how one greets each other. A simple “Hello” or “Hi” begins a
conversation where we can exchange ideas and learn from each other. Perhaps
John uses this to let us hear, the being we know as, God speaking to us.
Culturally, we follow greetings with a question (e.g. “How are you?”) and the
Gospels also present to us questions.
This year, I took courses along with internship that triggered
reflections upon the scriptures and pastoral work in deep and sometimes
difficult ways. The words and stories of scripture I thought I knew
changed into multi-dimensional, layered lessons and questions. I know we come
to the sacred text in different ways and with different ideas of what those
books represent.
For me, my perspective has evolved to understand the collection
of books and stories that we know as the Hebrew Bible are a collection of
graces, celebrations and legendary strength but also stories about human
failing, ego and even egregious crimes. It is a collection of lessons
about who we are and from where we come with hope that we might not repeat some
history.
I will give an example. There are characters in the stories that
I found different understandings, like with King David. For most of my youth, I
was raised to understand David with some reverence, but when you read the text
in Samuel and Kings, David is a complex character. Yes he helps to establish a
dynasty in ancient Israel, but he does some serious wrongs. From a modern
perspective, they were severe crimes. Even so, the books tell us that the
mystery of YHWH found a place for forgiveness. While I do not condone the
crimes, this becomes a good question for us. Do we measure people only by
their faults? Do we have a place in our hearts for forgiveness?
For my own, I have my share of wrongs, but somehow, I have
managed to do some good in the world. This is perhaps why I am in ministry
today because like many, I have felt the torture of bullying, and like some, I have
felt the agony of losing family. I have been shamed, guilted, and even felt
religion used as a weapon against me rather than a comfort. Yet, somehow, there were good experiences and people
that were examples of resilience, renewal and good will. All of these inform my
work with an understanding of humility, success and spirit. With all of our
misfortunes and injustices in this life, that goodness can direct our outlook.
Maybe, the question is whether we let people define us or if we
define our being and our lives.
As Christians (and many faiths alike), we can lean into the
Gospels and the epistles that provide an account of the tumultuous life and uninhibited
ministry of Jesus, which we celebrate today.
Even though “the world did not know him… and his own people did not
accept him”, “he came to what was his own.” (John 1:10).
That seems to be the core of Christmas that we read in the words
from John and also Isaiah (9:2-7). That despite walking in darkness, and no matter
where you are on life’s journey, there is a light that can lead us. God
is not just a being aloof in the Heavens but here among us – listening and
nudging. Christmas is a time when hope
can be restored because we can begin new life with wondrous child eyes. You might
smirk “with child’s eyes in this old broken body?”
We “were born …of God” (John 1:12-13) means that we are all “children
of God.” This invokes Genesis (1:26) that people were made in the image of our
Creator -- without distinction. Thus, we all have an equal and fair share of
this creation. Through the light of this season, there is hope that we are not
alone, and that we do have a purpose -- if we are willing to look up and
witness the light upon our souls. Further, if we are willing to be the light of
hope to someone and to our community, maybe our community might live into the
promise of this season with little need for walls or guns.
This speaks to the work with the
Urban Bicycle Food Ministry. Weekly, we prepare and deliver food and essentials
to homeless and under-employed. I am involved with UBFM for a number of
reasons. For one, I cannot solve the world’s problems, but I can help a corner
of our community. I am becoming aware of the privilege I have, and I realize
how close the other side is (and has been). If I were there, I would pray
that there would be UBFM’s being the light of hope for me.
So this season, we (Bret and I) reflect upon the changes in our
lives and connections we have made this past year. We made great changes in our
professional careers along with ministries with the wider Church. We still have
questions along with costs and challenges, but we look forward with hopeful
eyes that we are in a new place as a place we want to share friendship, laughs
and some wine. Perhaps, light did shine upon us, and awakened a stronger
connection and love between us along with a more optimistic outlook.
We would like to share some light with you. So Hello to you and
how are you? Let the grace of the season be real and be yours. Go ahead, ask questions,
make room for forgiveness in your hearts, and find your light. Then maybe you
might be able to find a gift of hope, peace, joy and love - despite any tumult
of our lives, especially as we look forward to another year.
Oh Child of our Creator, may the peace and hope of this season
be with you all this season and the coming year!
