We have the whole year to celebrate God’s gift to us at Christmas.
We might begin to live our lives more open to receiving God’s gift of love and acceptance. We might find ourselves rich with forgiveness for our own shortcomings and the shortcomings of others. And we might find a well of compassion for the world God so loves.
Every time we are able to live as if Christmas were true, Christmas becomes incarnate a little bit more. Every time we fail to, we can look to the cross and then the empty tomb and remember what lies ahead for that baby, as well as for us. Death, yes. But also new life, hope, and promise.
Today we remember Stephen, Deacon and Martyr. This message was adapted from “The Perfect Holiday” written by Catherine Malotky that first appeared in the December 2008 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.
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