The GREATEST GIFT
As Christmas Eve falls on the fourth Sunday of Advent, we mark a shortened Advent season, three weeks. This three-fold devotion focuses on the verbs: PAUSE, PREPARE, PONDER. The devotions include readings and focus verbs, as provided by Augsburg Fortress’ Sundays and Seasons, and contributions from congregation members on the theme of ‘gifts given and received.’
WEEK 1: PAUSE – Matthew 6: 25-34
In
a meditation for ‘Nurturing the Good,’ Kaira Jewel Ling, begins by inviting
people to pause in gratitude.
“We
share a practice of embodied gratitude…
Begin
by settling into the body. Feel the breath, notice the environment, be aware of
sounds, and connect with sensations in the body. Open to what’s here in the
body and mind, with acceptance and kindness… Now I invite you to appreciate
yourself for your practice and the many ways that you are open to learn and
grow. Something in you is energetic and motivated to grow and deepen.” ---Carolyn
The
more mature I become, my understanding of the kindon of God changes, as does my
idea of striving for the kindom. Pastors, from my experience, strive really
hard to engage their congregations, to provide excellent worship, to teach and mentor
faithful living, to serve other people, to be involved in their community, to
cast a vision of God’s mission, to grow hope, and to work at building the
kindom of God. Pastors can spend so much energy striving, that the point -the
greatest gift- gets lost in busyness. I wonder if ‘striving’ is not a pushing
forward, accomplishing, or progressing, but, rather, found in the practice of
the three verbs: pause, prepare, and ponder.
Often,
I hear from wizened and well journeyed congregation members a variation of
“We
are gifted with another day!” The phrase is spoken with a reverence that is
full of gratitude and contentment. There is a sense of peace given through the
statement, that right now, at this moment, we have received a precious gift; all
is right and good.
I
gave my Mother a red leather pocketbook about 10 by 11 inches with a loose
handle for Christmas. This was when I was going to early college. It was
unusual in its expense. I was happy to give it to her.
Usually
our family exchanges lists of what we would like to receive to eliminate
unwanted gifts. I put on my list items I haven’t had time to go for on errands.
---Sandra H.
As
I try to embrace this elder wisdom of giving thanks for the gift of another
day, and practice embodying gratitude, I pause to consider what to do with this
gift. Another day gives more time to express love through gifts, be responsible
to creation when giving , give gifts that are needed. Surely the gift of a
another day is not for me to keep for myself: so how will I live this day? Can
my gratitude and love be given back so that the kindom of God is more present
in the world?
As
I paused, to think about this, the following quote popped into my media feed:
The
bread which you hold back belongs to the hungry; the coat, which you guard in
your locked storage-chests, belongs to the naked; the footwear moldering in your closet
belongs to those without shoes. The silver that you keep hidden in a safe place
belongs to the one in need. Thus, however many are those whom you could have
provided for, so many are those whom you wrong --- St. Basil
As
I practice embodying gratitude, I now turn to prepare and ponder:
I
have been given the gift of another day. I wish to not waste it and strive to
re-gift it through extravagant love.
Holy One, we give thanks for the gift
of another day.
Encourage and strengthen us with life.
Open to us moments to share this gift
back into the world,
seeding the world with gratitude and
life. Amen.
Kairo Jewel Ling, We Were
Made for These Times: Ten Lessons on Moving through Change, Loss, and
Disruption (Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 2021), 105-106, 107.
Encouraging words for a busy season. 😍
ReplyDeleteThank you. Your comment has encouraged me!
Delete