Rest - December 24, 2018

https://www.wikiart.org/en/le-nain-brothers/nativity-with-the-torch

“Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’”

-Luke 10:38-42

It is just about Christmas now. There may be a temptation, a habit, or an expectation to be busy or “distracted by many tasks”— cooking, cleaning, going to see family or friends, giving gifts, receiving gifts, perhaps hosting guests, deciding what movie to watch.

Given that, it might be worth pausing to remember that, in some fundamental way, Christmas is about rest. Rest, because the word of Christmas is "born to you this day is a Savior." There isn't anything we can do to bring this about; it is pure gift, all from God’s side. We can only receive it.

Receive the truth that God is perfectly joined with our creaturely existence. The fact that what we are, who we are — precisely in our unfinished, frail humanity — has been embraced and even assumed by the true object and fulfillment of our deepest longings. As Richard Rohr has said,"Incarnation is already redemption." In Christmas, we can see that we are always and already held by God as the infant Jesus is held in his mother’s arms.

The question is: will we become still enough to truly recognize this, to feel it, to let this mystery work its way ever deeper into our lives? For this to happen, we must rest. We must become still, like the holy family on the first Christmas. On this day, even if we must be a little like Martha, distracted by many tasks, let us remember that Jesus also calls us to be like her sister Mary, who sits at his feet and listens to what he is saying. After all, Jesus is the true guest and gift of Christmas and we welcome him first of all by resting and preparing room in our hearts to receive him who has already been given.

Post by John Kennedy