Christmas celebrations often attempt to sweep us out of the difficulties and pain of daily life and whisk us away into moments of sweet sentimentality and escape. Yet, for many (I dare say most), the season of Christmas heightens the pain and confounds the problems. If this is your experience, this thought is for you:
Religious energy is in the dark questions, seldom in the answers. Answers are the way out. Answers are not what we are here for. When we look for answers, we’re looking to change the pattern. When we look at the questions, we look for the opening to transformation. (Richard Rohr, in Everything Belongs)
Consider the questions from the Christmas story:
The Wise Men: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2)
Zechariah: “How can I be sure of this?” (Luke 1:18)
Mary: “How can this be?” (Luke 1:34)
Elizabeth: “But why am I favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43)
There is room in the ear and heart of God for your question this Christmas.
Copyright Richard Leslie Parrott, Ph.D.