25 Thoughts on “A Christmas Carol” – December 18th

Happy Christmas Dear Reader

“But soon the steeples called good people all, to church and chapel, and away they came, flocking through the streets in their best clothes, and with their gayest faces”

I used to live near a church that had a steeple and bells. I remember as a child hearing the bells ring calling the time for worship on Sunday mornings. Mister Dickens has the many London churches calling out the time for worship on Christmas Eve. One can almost hear the Old Michael Church with it ragged roof and short bell tower lifting it clanging voice to the foggy night air.

The church I attend has no bells but the call of its Christmas Eve service is still siren powerful. We gather and sing, pray, and commune. We will light candles and wish each other a very Merry Christmas. We will recall the ways in which we have as a community share our blessing with the community around us. From the end of that service until the end of Christmas day I will live out my own small act of worship.

It has been my practice for many years not to ask God for anything from Christmas Eve until I awaken the day after Christmas. I will still pray; offering thanks, worshiping, and acknowledging all that the Creator has done for me. I do feel, however, that he has given me enough and it would be kind to not ask for anything else for a time. I do it to avoid being the petulant child who after opening the richest trove of gifts looks at his father and says, “Is that all?”

I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life and I love getting gifts. I also know that Christ has given me his very life so that I might live and it begins with his Advent. So for a day I will ask for nothing and try to be thankful for everything. I will begin with the journey to worship, imaging the bells of the Old Michael Church calling me along the way.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."