ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
December 24, 2022
Christmas Eve! Let that soak in for a moment. I still have amazing memories from childhood of this day. Usually grandparents were visiting, maybe some other relative. The gifts under the tree were numerous. Stockings were in their proper place waiting for the arrival of Santa. The plan was always to attend the 11:00pm Christmas Eve Service, so we’d start getting all dressed up around 10:00pm and then make the drive to First Christian Church of Lincoln, NE. It’s funny how four weeks of anticipation and a lot of seasonal expectations helped shape the emotion of that service.
O Holy Night was always a solo; some family would light the Christ Candle on the Advent wreath; many of the hymns we sang did not require a hymnal, at least for the first verse. For that reason, people’s heads were up, and it sure felt as if people were singing out with a bit more enthusiasm. And then we’d arrive at Silent Night and the passing of the light from candle to candle. Stern warnings had been given on the drive to church about candle safety, yet even as I pondered all the possible dangers, it did not seem to dampen the moment.
Over the last 20+ years, at some point on Christmas Eve morning, I have drawn upon those memories as a sort of prayer. Maybe it’s my nostalgia—a sort of hope of reliving a past experience—that has me wishfully pondering the possibilities of the night. But more importantly, I pray that the evening provides whatever it is that people are needing… even if it is a bit different from my wistful recollections.
O Gentle Gift of this Holy Experience, speak through the stories and songs; reveal new insights through images and symbols; make known your amazing love born anew into the world. Amen.
