The Quiet of Christmas Morning

Dec 24, 2014 3150

Bethlehem Christmas. Star in night sky above Mary and JosephI remember Christmas morning as a quiet time as a child. Maybe because I would often wake up and get out of bed first in my family. Maybe because it just is.

The quietness of Christmas morning was not a vacant one, but a quietness that was full of faint echoes of peace and angel songs of long ago. The atmosphere was filled with expectations of the gifts of gifts, family, friends, and tasty food to come.

Decades later, and in recent years, I find myself landing on Christmas morning with the stresses and anxieties of life – far more than I ever imagined I would know when I was small. I awake on Christmas morning with a knowledge of the world that is so much more profound than I ever thought possible as a child – it is the knowledge of good and evil. I come to Christmas morning battered and bruised by life, but not defeated – although I would rather be a child again.

But you know, the quietness of Christmas morning is still there. For me, there is a peace that is neither I nor the world have managed to corrupt in so many years. The angel songs are still there. And now I understand them more:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ­ – Luke 2:14

Christmas morning is all about God’s universal and eternal announcement of peace and goodwill towards people like you and me – to people everywhere.

Christmas morning was when God looked down from the highest heaven to the depths of this earth and saw my need and sent us all the greatest gift of all – the child who came to be with us, walk with us, suffer with us, and rejoice in victory for us.

Christmas morning is still quiet. It is oh so very quiet. How could it be otherwise?

How else could we hear the snuffle of the donkey, a mother’s reassuring words, a father’s gasp of joy, and a baby’s gentle cry?

How else in this noisy world except in quietness could we hear the announcement – the good news – of the Son who was born, who was called Jesus, and who would save his people from their sins? (Matt 1:21).

The peace of Christmas is God’s announcement of peace to the world – and to you – that through his gift to the world, your sins are forgiven, and you have been given salvation and eternal life.

It is still quiet this Christmas morning. Just say a prayer, and in quietness, accept the gift.

May you have a blessed Christmas from all of us in the Good News Unlimited team. May the Prince of Peace by your Lord, and may his peace be with you all.

– Eliezer Gonzalez

 

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