Love whispers

Unless you are living under a rock, you would know that Christmas, one of the celebrations that is central to much of the Western world, happened yesterday. Advent is over, the four weeks of hope, peace, joy and love culminating in the final night of light.

But that doesn’t mean the themes should be neatly tucked away, packed into boxes and forgotten on basement shelves until next December, left to sit and quietly contemplate if they deserve to see the light that ended their season. But rather, like the Ghost of Christmas Present reminds Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film version of A Christmas Carol:

“Mortal! We Spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of our year. We live the whole three-hundred and sixty-five. So is it true of the Child born in Bethlehem. He does not live in men’s hearts one day of the year, but in all days of the year. You have chosen not to seek Him in your heart. Therefore, you will come with me and seek Him in the hearts of men of good will.” 

We always hear the story and ask ourselves, why wasn’t there room in the inn for Mary and Joseph. But perhaps, there was. But perhaps the guest room wasn’t big enough for a birth. After all, Joseph was in his home town. Was his family present? If so, there were others who were there who were probably helping, bustling too and from during the birth with rags and water, food and assistance, and there was no room for all of them in the house. Perhaps the “no room in the inn” line was to point out that love was present for that insignificant young couple giving birth to their first child in a small town in a war-torn country, just as love is still present.

“Love is Jesus within and among us; Love is the peace our hearts are seeking. Love! Love! Love is the gift of Christmas…”

~ Ken Bible, “Love Has Come”

The last Sunday of Advent is the story of love. And in this world today, where divisions separate us and drive wedges, there is a need for more love in the world. So many are in need of love and acceptance, of community and hope, of an anchor where they are drifting. And the story of that love is there, reaching out to call to them, not only at Christmas but all 365 days of the year.

Every year, the story reminds us that love was born, not in a position of power but rather in that lowly stable. It is a quiet birth. It was and still is counter to the culture. It was a protest. And it was not perfect. But it was love nevertheless, whispering quietly onward.

Love whispers.

But yet, some who are supposed to believe hear the story and turn away. They claim they hate no one but shut their doors anyway to those who need love and hope, peace and joy, magic and light. They fear that embracing love will corrupt them and make them lose their way.

Others hear the story and just get on with their normal lives, ignoring the call to embrace the lost and feed the sheep. They brush it away, claiming love has never helped them so why should they help others even as they ignore all the ways love has whispered to them in the past.

But then there are those few who not only hear the story but embrace it, opening their arms and their hearts to everyone who might need a little love. They exude the magic of that love, spreading it as far as as wide as they can. They bring with them the themes of hope and peace, joy and light as well, knowing that while love is the theme of the last Sunday of Advent, it cannot be without the other themes.

Love whispers still.

Love is creating a program to help immigrants learn English and become citizens of the United States when hate for those very people seems to be high. Love is becoming a community that welcomes all on the LGTBQIA+ continuum even when the world seems to want to shut them away. Love is writing just one more Christmas card despite the cramping hand and weariness because there is just one more person who needs to be remembered. Love is making simple gifts and remembering that even the most powerful have the most basic of needs. Love is being a place where families who have little can come and pick up the gifts that were so generously given to make their holiday season a little brighter.

Love whispers onward.

It bridges the gaps. It heals the broken. It reminds the unwanted that they are not only wanted, but loved. But love cannot whisper unless it has people to hear the story, to take that magic and continue it.

Love whispers.

Are you listening?

Stay magical, friends.

Write your own story.

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