Some Thoughts In The Aftermath Of Christmas

[Matt_Wiley]

Wasn’t sure where to post this, so if one of the Admins or Moderators wanted to move it elsewhere to a more appropriate spot, then by all means go for it.

Anyways, here’s some thoughts I just shared on Facebook that I thought I’d share here as well:

I have to say that this year was one of the better Christmases I’ve had within memory, and I’m thankful for family and friends, and for my fiancee Kaylyn, and for every blessing and gift that I’ve received.

I know that there are many who cannot say the same, those for whom Christmas was anything but merry or happy, those who went through Christmas and are looking to the New Year full of grief or full of loneliness, or both, those who have suffered great loss, including the families and friends of those who died in all of the recent shootings here in Oregon and in Connecticut and in New York and elsewhere, and those who have been shut out or forgotten and who experience Christmas as little more than a reminder of their rejection by others, including family and friends who seem to no longer be family or friends…

Though I am thankful for my own blessings and for all that I have, I am aware that there are tears as well as laughter present during this season and because of this season, so my thoughts and prayers go out to all those who wake up the day after Christmas with a dull ache in their hearts, and who look forward to the new year not so much with hope as with uncertainty…

I have found that in life we need to find as much light as we can to keep going, and to find some meaning and some hope, and especially in the darkest of times…
I imagine that those who have lost loved ones will cling tighter to those remaining, and those who have much sadness and many wounds may find the strength to focus on and be thankful for what they do have, and still have, rather than what they don’t have, or have no more, and find enough light in that to keep going, and I have to remind myself that though there is darkness in this world, though there is grief, and loneliness, though there is pain, and sadness, there is also light, and joy, and love, and healing happening and life happening and therefore there is hope, even if not everyone can see it for the tears in their eyes and the ache in their hearts…

May this coming New Year bring more light into our lives, and especially into the lives of those who need it most right now, and when Christmas comes around again next year, may there be more hope and peace and joy and love in this world and in our lives than there was before.

Blessings to you all in this winter season and in the New Year ahead

• Matt

[Sobornost]

Dear Matt -

You are a sweethearted man - and a blessing to us all.

Bless you (and don’t forget the Feast of Fools 6th January )

A Merry Twelfth-tide

Dick

And ‘A plague on these pickled herrings - belch’

[Melchizedek]

Thanks Matt;
From one of the people who is full of uncertainty. And I can tell you, aftermath is an apt description of how it feels this year.

In church Sunday, the pastor asked this: If we could ask any question, and be guaranteed an answer, what would it be?

The question that immediately came to mind in response, and has since remained was this question: Why?

I don’t think that we are ever guaranteed an answer to that question; but even in the midst of difficult circumstances such as I find myself in, I find God’s goodness shining through the darkness; and in spite of my blindness and doubt, I can see that God has his reasons, even if we can’t understand them or don’t like them, He has his reasons; and they are good, because He is good and because He works all together for good.

And trust me when I tell you I say that purely out of faith.

[Matt_Wiley]

Dear Matt -

You are a sweethearted man - and a blessing to us all.

Bless you (and don’t forget the Feast of Fools 6th January )

A Merry Twelfth-tide

Dick

And ‘A plague on these pickled herrings - belch’

Thanks Prof, bless you as well And I’ve heard of Epiphany on January 5, the day that marks the arrival of the wise men from the East, but I can’t say I’ve heard of the Feast of Fools… that’s a new one on me

And someone mentioned Twelfth-tide to me recently, what’s that all about? I’m sure you could fill me in

Matt

Thanks Matt;
From one of the people who is full of uncertainty. And I can tell you, aftermath is an apt description of how it feels this year.

In church Sunday, the pastor asked this: If we could ask any question, and be guaranteed an answer, what would it be?

The question that immediately came to mind in response, and has since remained was this question: Why?

I don’t think that we are ever guaranteed an answer to that question; but even in the midst of difficult circumstances such as I find myself in, I find God’s goodness shining through the darkness; and in spite of my blindness and doubt, I can see that God has his reasons, even if we can’t understand them or don’t like them, He has his reasons; and they are good, because He is good and because He works all together for good.

And trust me when I tell you I say that purely out of faith.

You’re welcome bro

I confess I haven’t been closely following your thread about your son (a lot of posts!), but have read the most recent posts, and am glad to hear that he’s doing better.

But I can imagine that this Christmas hasn’t been easy for you and your family… and I’m sure the ‘why’ question is the same one all those people that I’m thinking of have been asking to…

Like you said, there’s never a guarantee, at least in this life, for an answer to that question, but I admire how you’ve held on, bro, and admire all those who do hold on, to whatever light and hope they can find in their dark times, instead of being utterly consumed by disillusionment and bitterness… I’ve been in situations like that myself, where you have two choices: either find some reason or reasons to go on, or give up and go crazy…

And you mentioned faith… for some reason that reminds me of the passage in First Corinthians 13, the one that says ‘and these three remain, faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love’…
I just wanted to say that I believe your love for your son is a sign of God’s presence in this world… not sure if that speaks to you or not, but just thought I’d say that.

Blessings to you bro, and I’ll join in praying for you and your son and your family.

Matt

[Sobornost]

Twelfth tide is the twelfth night of the twelve days of Christmas – the Feast of Fools and Epiphany. In the medieval liturgy, during the Magnificat at the cue of –

‘He hath put down the mighty from their seat’

-the congregation – obeying the injunction to become ‘Fools for Christ’ rather literally – would put on grotesque masks and let off bangers, and monks would parade wafting sweaty old boot burning in the incense thurbiles, and a young chorister would be adorned and given honour as bishop or ‘lord of misrule’.

Shakespeare’s play ‘Twelfth Night’ is rooted in the memory of this carnival tradition – with Sir Toby Belch (he of ‘plague on these pickled herrings’) presiding as a sort of Lord of Misrule over the revels, and opposed by the Puritan Malvolio (Latin for ‘Ill Will’) to whom Sir Toby says –‘Dost thou think because thou art virtuous that there should be no more cakes or ale?’. With a hey nonny ho

[Sobornost]

And that’s what I calls ‘good, old fashioned fun’