Peace for Christmas

Have you completed your shopping?

Have you done the office party and the attended Lessons and Carols at a local church?

Are you ready to settle down and clear your head of all to-dos and just soak in the moment?

Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you. - Gospel of Thomas

For today's reading, I ventured off the path and picked a saying from the Gospel of Thomas.  This is not one of the standards, nor is it even recognized as official Scripture, but the message here is worth sharing.

As we prepare for Christmas, we are filled with a sense of expectation of wonderful things to come. We are pushed and pulled by the joys of receiving and giving.   On one hand, we can't wait to see the looks on the faces of family and friends as they open their presents.   But we also are excited about the surprises we will enjoy.

As Jesus points out, though, the kingdom we seek is within us as well as outside us.  There is a greater joy than what can be experienced by exchanging gifts. 

Accepting the idea that we carry the kingdom with us changes everything. It empowers us to stand up for respect and love and community and peace while working together to rebuild what others seek to tear down.

Waiting for Jesus to return to set the world right is like admitting that evil has won.  This Christmas,  I think we need to give more than gifts.  We need to share the kingdom. 

We can start by coming together as a community. 

We can make a difference. 

More to come...