December 29: Remembering Mary, the Mother

Read Luke: 1: 46 – 55
Sing “Gentle Mary Laid Her Child”

The rest between holidays! Whew! The Spanish like many of us celebrate at Christmas and New Year’s. Christmas is a time for family, food, and dancing. Presenting is to come on Epiphany. And in-between the world-wide celebration of the turning of the year occurs providing a recipe for over-indulgence if we aren’t careful.

The worshipful dancing in Spain that greets the arrival of the babe of Bethlehem reflects a tender feeling they have for his mother. The Virgin has guided the Spanish celebrations since the eight of December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The ‘dance of the six’, now ten, moves the crowds I read. On the eve of the holy birth tiny lights are lit and a special dance to guitars and castanets is done. Most homes have a manger scene around which the Christmas celebrations center. The cow is especially honored for legend has it that she breathed on the infant Jesus to keep him warm.

Mary as we read in Luke’s gospel pondered all she had seen and heard. So today is perhaps a good day for us to ponder the celebration of the birth—what does it mean for us today? Perhaps today is the day to remove ourselves from the fray of celebrating and sit in silence before the manger scene. Maybe today take the time to absorb the enormity of this birth.

Walk in the garden, sit in the cathedral, lie on the beach—welcome the sun, return to the quiet, be in your mother’s arms.

Pray for gentleness, yours and the world’s.

For children from 2 to 92: Use your creative, playful side
Tell the Story from the Picture: Divine Imagining

Find a place where you can relax. Choose a picture connected with Christmas. Perhaps use the picture of the window in Montserrat Monastery in Spain. Invite God to be with you as you engage the picture. Take a few minutes to quiet yourself and be present to the moment.

Look at the picture. What do you notice first? Write it down or tell someone.

Look at the picture again, this time let your eyes move all around it. What story does it tell? Write it down or tell someone?

Look again. Let your eyes draw you into the imagery. What grabs your attention most? How does the picture make you feel? What does the picture remind you of? Write about what you are sensing or tell another.

Look one more time at the picture. Sit for a few minutes letting your mind and body absorb the scene. What do you think the picture means for you? What is the picture suggesting you do? If you want write what you are thinking or tell someone else.

Say a prayer and then put the picture away.