December 29, 2024
First Sunday after Christmas Day

“Miracle on 10^th Street”

Colossians 3: 12-17   

by Rev. Stephen Fetter

Sometimes the important truths of life come to us in stories, rather than in didactic prose or moralisms. It's not for nothing that Jesus taught in stories, and left us with narratives to unravel and wrestle with. His stories give us a way of imagining a transformed world, and inspire us to roll up our sleeves and help bring our imaginings to reality.

The Christmas story is a story like that too. All the characters and elements of this story we've been reflecting on all month don't just describe historical happenings that are over with; they point to the kind of world God invites us to dream about: a world where babies aren't born in stables; where governments don't force people to leave their homes for crazy reasons; where authorities don't send soldiers to kill babies, just because they feel like their power is being threatened. The stories we've been reading remind us not only of long ago events; they remind us of our own world too, and the ways God still encourages transformation.But not all stories are ancient.

This week I want to share with you a modern Christmas story from one of my favourite authors. Madeline L'Engle is probably best known for her children's book A Wrinkle in Time,  which was made into a Walt Disney movie in 2018, directed by Ava Duvernay. But L'Engle didn't just write for children; she also wrote about her own life and spirituality. She was a deeply committed Christian lay person in the Episcopal (Anglican) tradition, and many of her spiritual books talk about how she lived out her faith in New England and in New York City.Rather than share my own reflections this week, I'd like to share some Christmas reflections from her writings: a story from her own life about a Christmas she would never forget.Come join us for worship this Sunday, and use this as an opportunity to think about Christmas stories old and new, and what Christmas has meant in your life