A magical time

Do you believe in the magic of Christmas? Reading Richard Rohr’s meditation on Christmas Eve got me thinking about the magic of Christmas. There’s just something about the season. Think back on your own Christmas memories or those of your children. The idea of Santa unleashed the dreamer in all of us. As one grows older, at an age just at the cusp of learning the truth about Santa, we were encouraged or encouraged others to just BELIEVE!

I sat with the idea of the magic of Christmas for quite a while. What was it about “just believing” that seemed to manifest miracles? Suddenly it dawned on me. I had just read Hebrews 11:8-19 in preparation for this Sunday’s liturgy. Therein lies the answer!

By faith

“By faith” is repeated quite a few times in this verse. What is faith? Faith is more than just believing in something you can’t see. As a matter of fact, it is defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”. In Hebrews it becomes apparent that the faith they’re talking about is way deeper than just “believing” in something you can’t see.

Obedience

First mention: a faith that’s obedient – obedient, not to a set of rules, but obedient to a point of action. Obedient in the sense that we go with God’s flow! We don’t seek to change things or have our way, but we agree to participate and cooperate with God’s will. We “let what’s happening happen,” as Father Thomas Keating used to say, knowing all will be well.

Power

Second, a faith that leads to power – not to a power we can wield but a power that comes from deeply believing! Now THAT’S magical or maybe I should say mystical. Each one of us can relate to this if we only look back on our past experiences in prayer. There’s power in faith! There’s power in prayer, if you just BELIEVE! If you believe that nothing is impossible with God, amazing things can happen! Which leads me to my next point.

Trust

“By faith, when he was tested……..” Hebrews 11:17. Abraham began to trust God wholeheartedly after practicing obedience and experiencing the power that comes from believing that the impossible is actually possible through God. Abraham’s trust came from seeing how his obedience resulted in power unmatched by anyone he knew at the time. All because he believed!

Back to the magic

What I realized through reading this scripture verse is that a deep faith develops over time. Of course, faith is more than believing in something we can’t see but believing is a start! We present our belief before God as infants – physical infants (through baptism) and spiritual infants (as adults without a clue). He does the impossible! He turns our simple belief into power and trust. How magical is that?!

I believe in the magic of Christmas! I believe in the magic of Christmas not because of a fat man in a red suit but because Jesus, the Word made flesh, was born of a Virgin and through the Incarnation, connected us to Himself in perfect love to build a relationship of trust! Therein lies the miracle! Do you believe in the magic of Christmas?

Merry and blessed Christmas!