I am sure you all know the Luke Nativity story - "in those days a decree went out from ......you know the story. Well, my task this year was to write a reflection on that scripture. I came up with this and I hope you enjoy it.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe first thought I had when I started to work on this reflection was “I wonder if anyone else will write about Charlie Brown”. Okay, I admit it, I really did! I can see Linus with that security blanket over his shoulder, reciting the verses from Luke and telling Charlie Brown, “that’s what Christmas is all about.”\r\n\r\n The ever present blanket that Linus holds so fast is his symbol of love and security. That blue blanket……a soft blanket. I wonder about the swaddling bands that the child Jesus wore….were they soft or scratchy?\r\n\r\n That blanket…..a warm blanket. I wonder if the fields where the shepherds watched their flocks were warm that first Christmas night? How warm did they feel under that starlit sky?\r\n\r\n That blanket…..a symbol of security. How secure did Mary and Joseph feel during their flight to Egypt; their faith in God’s mercy the only thing sustaining them in their flight and exile.\r\n\r\n That blanket…..a symbol of love. Any parent can understand what Mary was feeling; how much love she felt for her precious baby. “And Mary treasured these words in her heart”, but did she have any foreknowledge of what the future would hold for her newborn son?\r\n\r\n Like Linus, we hold onto things that make us feel safe and protected. We treasure what we hold and strive to attain more material things to give us a feeling of security and self worth. We all have our own “security blankets” and they will fade and fray and wear out. Let us find our peace and security in that child in the manger and not in the riches of this world. Let us carry Jesus, not over our shoulders, but in our hearts.
Julie
I will carry you, be your strength, pull you through.
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