Triple C News - Dec. 16
Hey, everyone!
Wow! So hard to believe that in just a little over a week, we’ll be singing with our candles lit…
“Siiiii…iiii…lent niiiiiight…Hoooo…ooo…ly niiiiiiight…”
I always drive home knowing, “Now it’s Christmas!”
Next Saturday millions will sing that ‘round the world in loads of ways!
They sing…
“Nos hep son! Noswyth lan!” (in Cornwall)
“Glade jul, Dejlige jul” (in Denmark)
“Douce nuit, Sainte nuit” (in France)
“Noche de paz, Noche de amor” (in Spain, Mexico and other places)
“Notte tranquilla, Notte di pace” (in Italy)
“Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht" (in the original German)
Even tho’…
…the Scriptures don’t actually say that our Lord was born in the middle of the nuit…I mean…the noche…ah…the nacht…opps… the night! Luke tells us that the shepherds were watching their flocks at night, but were told that “this DAY is born to you a Savior!” So it may be that the Baby was born in the morning and then the Holy Family was able to get a couple of naps in before receiving visitors.
I do think it would make sense tho’ if the infant King was born in the middle of the night.
After all, He IS the Light of the world. His love shines best when it’s dark!
Always has! Always will! (that is, “until the Day dawns…” 2 Peter 1.19)
There’s a place in Ephesians 5 where Paul tells us to “make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil…” And I don’t think he means it in a nail-biting, freak-out way! I think he’s saying, “Hey! Let’s take advantage of these days because, as always, His love shines brightest in the dark!
In my annual “Christmas listen” to the audiobook of Dickens’ Christmas Carol, once again I misted up as I drove down the road hearing the ghost of Ol’ Jacob Marley’s bewailing his wasted life and opportunities to love and care in a world of pain and poverty, literally trembling at the thought that many just waltz thru life without realizing that this is their only chance to do good to hearts in need…
Listen to what he told his ex-collegue Scrooge…
“Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness!
Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused!
Yet such was I! Oooh! such was I!''
It held up its chain at arm's length, as if that were the cause of all its unavailing grief, and flung it heavily upon the ground again.
``At this time of the rolling year, I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?!”
This Christmas…
at this time of year when the the days are short and nights are longest …
and when some are struggling…
and some are sadder…
and others are lonelier than Christmases past…
What if we made this…
…the Christmas to be kinder than ever before ?
…the Christmas to tell people you love that you love them more than ever?
…the Christmas to go out of your way for someone “out of the way”?
Let’s leave sad regrets for words unsaid and deeds of love undone to poor ol’ Marley!
Light your candle!
Let us shine!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!