God Bless Our Troops

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Word of the day:
First Sunday of Advent
Gospel

Mk 13:33-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Matthew 24: 37-44

"You cannot know the day . . ."

Oh, but we do!
We know the day
and the hour
The prophetic voices of print media,
and TV
and radio
countdown the days until that Day of Days.

"Be prepared!" they say
Yes, time to pitch the turkey carcass
and get on with the business at hand.
Two men will be in the field
cutting down their Christmas trees.
"One will be taken
and one will be left."
Left to continue the mad rush
for the unattainable . . .
the perfect Christmas.


Christmas! Ah, Christmas.
That day when all our preparations
come to fruition
in Norman Rockwell coziness
and Martha Stewart hominess.

The halls will be decked,
the mantles adorned.
Two women will be baking Christmas cookies,
"One will be taken
and one will be left."
Left to continue the mad rush
for the unattainable . . .
the perfect Christmas.
. . . the day we celebrate God present among us.

Present, you say?
Oh, yes, one more present. Cha ching!
One more garland. Cha ching!
One more string of lights. Cha ching!
but hurry up now.
Christmas will be here before we know it,
and yet we have no excuse
for not knowing.
Those voices of Christmas Commercial continue,
with ever increasing fervency,
to countdown the days.
Oh the energy we expend,
in preparation for the coming Day.
The day when
all will be right with the world.
When we can cease our preparations,
and draw a leisurely breath . . .
and peace will reign once more within our homes . . .
and we can all take time to celebrate
the incarnation of our God.
Ah, December 25,
(Yes, we know the day.)
But what of the day we do not know?
What of the day we cannot know?)

Only five shopping day left.
Left to continue the mad rush
for the unattainable . . .
the perfect Christmas.

We interrupt this meditation to bring you an important news bulletin!
This just in from CNN - Celestial News Network!
Christmas has already been done to perfection!
We repeat.
Christmas has already been done to perfection!
Wal-Mart and Toys R Us claim no responsibility.
Let those who have ears, hear.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled madness,
already in progress.

Ah, did you hear that?
Take heart all ye seekers and ye shoppers,
ye who are weary
and are heavy burdened,
for the preparation that is needed
does not take place in crowded malls.
The peace we seek is not to be found
in the hustle and bustle
of the mad rush
for the unattainable.
It is to be found in the quiet of our hearts,
in the glow of starlight.
In the simple appreciation
of the gift we have been given,
the gift we are continually given
the one that needs no adornment
or wrapping paper,
or tags,
or even money
(although the world place its retail value at 30 silver pieces.)

Let those who have ears, hear.

(from The Tarantella Dancers)


God bless the troops!

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