In Boston there is a ministry called Common Cathedral. It is not brand new but it is renewing as it goes. The current executive director, The Rev. Carrington Moore (below) preaches and celebrates the holy sacrament to the gathered congregation— those who live on the streets, often at night, often in the freezing cold where even warm tears freeze on cheeks.
Most of us are able to sit in warm homes, sip hot chocolate or brandied liqueur, often in front of a fireplace. We make merry! We are safe. We are warm.
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One of the things I miss more than others at Christmas is the working fireplace we had in the Trinity Church parish rectory in Collinsville, Connecticut. We lived there in the 1980s 1990s. The fireplace spit and spat and sparked, splaying cinders all about. It was hazardous, yet it never lost its charm nor the spiritual magic of dangerous warmth.
I try to imagine what it must be like for poor and homeless people when I read the biblical texts full of Christmas joy, love and mangers, I feel embarrassed at such a travesty. Okay, so we do it to bring joy and smiles and hope to young children, just like Bishop Nicholas of Myra did in his day when he brought food and small gifts to all the houses in all the poverty-stricken urban districts.
Again . . .
What about Jesus, Mary and Joseph? The contrast is quite the opposite of a peaceful haloed manger scene. They were freezing cold, quite alone, young, frightened, unsheltered, driven into the darkness. They pressed on to find warmth and safe housing as birthing contractions began. One poor man offered his stable, full of hay, dung and darkness. What is real? Both.
It is not a matter of being correct or incorrect. No one today was physically alive and present back then. I don’t think it is creating falsehood or error to allow our spiritual imaginations to play with biblical scenes in order to bring them alive, make them authentic to today’s world.
One time when I attended the outdoor Eucharist, it was colder and more windy than usual. Still, the people gathered to stand and receive their “jesus-food”. Were they nuts? There were shelters. Oh my god, I sounded just like Scrooge! Or royalty, saying let them gather the crumbs. I did not know what I could do until I spotted a man spastic with shivering with no coat or hat or mittens or hope. I took off my very extra warm scarf, a Christmas gift from a beloved daughter, and approached the man with it. I waited to get his nod then placed the scarf around his neck and wrapped it tightly. His smile was the best gift I could have ever received that Christmas.
Spare yourself righteousness or guilt, just do what you can, whenever you can, wherever you are with whatever you have.
FREE TO BE CAREFREE, step by tiny step.
