Blue Christmas

"Into this silent night

           as we make weary way

                 we know not where,

         just when the night becomes its darkest

              and we cannot see our path

         just then

           is when the angels rush in

                       their hands full of stars.

                                                 --Ann Weems, Poet

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Whatever you believe about Christmas and the whole story of Jesus and even religion itself, there are times when you have to admit, something greater than oneself acts in one's life.  It is the mystery that cannot be solved fully and the question that we all must live in every day.

Tonight I attended a "Blue Christmas" celebration at the San Bernardino First Congregational Church.  Deliberately set on the night of solstice, it was designed to provide a time of stillness in the often hectic season of advent of Christmas.  During the service, a harpist played softly the music of Christmas.  The small group gathered in shelter from the winter rains that have been pouring down upon southern California for days now.  "We are here seeking respite from the expectations and demands of this season" those in attendence said in the call to worship.  "We are here with some hesitation, yet also with a longing to know holiness in the depth of our being."  


Together we sang meditative hymns and heard readings from the prophet Isaiah (35:1-2, 5-10) and Psalm 121.  You know the Psalm, the one the begins "I will lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?"   Together we lit candles to remember those whom we have loved and lost, to redeem us from the pain of losses of the past year in our own lives, to reflect upon outselves, our moments and times of disbelief, anger, stress, frustration, down times, joys, hugs and handshakes of family and friends and all the support we have known.  And finally we lit a candle to remember our personal faith and the gift of hope that the Christmas story offers us.  Most of all, the service was to remind us that we are not alone.


As I sat in the cold sanctuary (the heat had not been turned on) I found myself remembering Christmases, both recent and in the distant past.  I though of the people of my life who have gone on and who still live within my heart and memory.  That is the joy of this season.  They all come to visit, not unlike Scrooge's ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.  They remind me that I am not alone and that Christmas is more than a holiday of giving and getting gifts, feasting and attending parties or decking the halls.  It is a time of remembering and appreciating all that has been and how each and every one of those people have taught me lessons well learned and brought me to where I am today.  I am blessed.


That is Blue Christmas.  We are not alone.  There is Someone or Something up there.  It is in and through all of us.  This is the season we come through the long dark night and the angels do really appear with stars in their hands to light our way.  

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Some of the above was gently lifted and incorporated from the service program prepared for use during the service.   Thanks to SBUCC, Rev Petra, Rev Sally and Rev Lenny for a wonderful worship service.

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Happy Birthday to my Grandmother,

My Shining Star Looking Down on Me

Repost of 12/21/10