It's Never Too Late

So you didn’t see the Christmas Star. 
And your plans for Advent fizzled with the busyness of your schedule. 
Your own to do list continued to grow as the need around you continued to expand.
And now it’s two days before Christmas! 

But you still have the deep longing to connect with God. 
 
Are you disappointed?  Feeling guilty?  Angry?  
 
It’s true God’s mercies are new every morning, it’s also true that they’re new every moment.
 
The majority of people I met with in Spiritual Direction this week thought their spiritual preparations for Christmas were a bust. 
 
“We have this moment,” I reminded them. 
 
Here’s what happened…
Some looked over the last few weeks and discovered ways God had been with them the whole time!  Even in the daytime chaos, even in the quiet darkness of their insomnia at 3am, God was there!
 
Through guided prayer, some were surprised at who appeared in their imaginations to speak words of wisdom or simply remind them that they were not alone.
 
At the end of their sessions, I heard: 
“Wow, I thought I’d lost any chance to get in touch with God in a deep way before Christmas!” 
“I feel like I just received a Christmas gift before Christmas!”
“Knowing how God has been with me even when I haven’t been aware has changed everything for me.”
“This has been so meaningful, I have missed being at church through Advent but now I realize that I’ve never truly been alone.  The Communion of Saints feels real to me and I feel so much relief and hope.”    
 
All was not lost!  The guilt, anger, and disappointment disappeared in a moment.

If you’re reading this, you’ve got this moment, too.  Here are a couple of ways to enter into it:
 
Light a candle & or listen to the sounds around you as a way of becoming present to this moment.  Now…
 

• Looking back over your month, when have you been most aware of God’s presence?  Or, for what moment are you most thankful for?  It might be an ordinary moment or a big one.  Allow yourself to rest in that memory for a few minutes as a way of gratitude and deepening awareness.   

 &/Or

• Close your eyes and let whoever wants to meet you in this moment come to mind.  It may be Mary the mother of Jesus, her cousin Elizabeth, Joseph, a shepherd, or your Grandma. Who wants to join you?  This person is a “face of God” for you, an incarnation of God’s love for you.  Notice how they are with you in this time.  Do they have any words for you or does their gaze or hug say it all?  Allow yourself to be with them as long as you would like, receiving the gift of their presence.  

Every moment is a gift. 
No matter how much chaos surrounds you, no matter how much is left on your to do list, God's mercies are available.
 
Peace & joy to you this Christmas.

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