— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
‘Thinking about Christmas’… A curious title for a Midweek Meditation at this time of year perhaps – or perhaps not.
Christmas likely seems to you far away, in time and space. Chronological time certainly tells us that next Christmas is now almost as far away as last. So, let me explain why this question has come to my mind.
No, it’s not because I just discovered something called an “all-year-round Christmas shoppe” on my summer travels through a tourist-trap outside Toronto (though I can’t now forget the very idea of it!). Instead, it’s because I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of time recently to let my mind wander, while on long walks, at the beach, and working in the woods. (Here on Prince Edward Island, where I’m summering, time seems to have stopped back in the 19th century.)
My mind wandered, and I wondered why Christmastime, when many of us also have time off, tends not to be an opportune time of reflection (even if we’re not living with children). That thought led to many others about how different these two times of year are. I would like to share some with you.
I won’t consider the obvious contrast between the weather in July versus December in the northern hemisphere. Nor between our diet now and then (would anyone for a cup of egg nog?). Nor between Christian Christmas carols and secular summer songs (forgive my ignorance if there are in fact hymns about the season).
Instead, it is interesting to consider the contrast between summer as a time for ‘vacation’ and Christmas for ‘holidays’. The words are sometimes used interchangeably. As their origins indicate, however, the former is a time of vacating, of withdrawing from a place or an activity, of being free, whereas the latter is for holy-days, also a day off work, but intended for celebrating and worshipping, especially at the ‘mass of Christ’.
Also suggestive is the contrast between what is commonly associated with summertime and Christmastime. The former brings to mind images of long, lazy days with nothing to do. The latter is a short, intense, hectic time, when we’re actually more ‘on’ than ‘off’.
Most significant is the contrast between the religious observances typical at these two times of year. People who do not go to church regularly during the year are still sure to manage it on Christmas eve or Christmas morning, despite the additional stress that may bring. What about during the summer? Exemplified by the drop in attendance at the Sunday service, the season is widely taken as a time for inactivity, ‘a break’, and that not merely from going to work or study.
I suspect that many of us, beginning with myself, tend to practice our faith less intensively these days. And yet our spiritual lives should go on and not be ‘on vacation’. (Businesses and schools may be closed for the summer, but churches are notably not.) Indeed, vacation offers us a once-in-a-year opportunity to indulge fully in our spiritual lives! Summer might be in this sense as well a ‘fruitful’ time, a time to read, write, reflect, and/or revere at our leisure. (Why not, for example, put the Holy Scripture on top of your summer reading pile rather than some pulp fiction?) If we can make use of the summertime in these ways, I expect that we’ll be back in the fall more relaxed, refreshed, and renewed than we’d be by just hanging out at the beach!
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 