Advent – December 16, 2023

December 16, 2023

The Fourteenth Day of Advent

In the last few days, I have been wrapping, not only Christmas gifts, but birthday gifts.  Our family has so many December birthdays.  And yours might as well.  No matter how many boxes you wrap there always seems to be one more needing attention.  I have never liked wrapping in a hurry.  The wrapping, boxing, or bagging, for me, is an important presentation for the gift you are giving.  And it is always fun to make the wrapping unique, a bit like the person, receiving the gift.  Yesterday afternoon I was making a nest with tissue paper, in which to rest the gift, inside the box.  The recipient’s favorite color is pink, and she has a penchant for bows, and buns, and glitter.  So, of course the wrapping would be, just like her, pink, with bows, and buns, and glitter.  The gift placed inside did not cost very much at all, but it was exactly what she talked about.  So, when the gift was snug within tissue paper, the box closed, and the final touches complete, I smiled.  It was just perfect.  The packaging resembled her, all the things she liked.  I was pleased.  It was then the thought occurred to me, in truth it was a waking vision which appeared, telling the story, within a picture, a flash in time.  There was a figure, which was blurred by clouds of gold and white.  The wrapping of a gift was taking place, complete with paper, ribbons, stickers, pinecones, and many other articles, destined to be used as decoration for the box, which would hold the gift.  There was a dizzying array of items set all around, and I wondered what would happen next.  But the entire field of vision changed to clouds of gold and white, illuminated by The Light behind them.  Then came the whisper.  “Think of your earthly body as the box I decorated to be like you, making sure to include the things you like to do, the things which make you, you.  You are the box.  You are the determining factor when it comes to the decorations.  But the gift, from Me to you, is nestled carefully, lovingly, within the package, that is you.  My gift to you is all you need, held within you.  It is there you are to look for the treasure I give unto you.”  Thank each of you for coming on this Advent journey with me.  You have made this season spark with life, and love, unique in every way.  Thank you.

          On this fourteenth day of Advent, 2023, the reading I have chosen is from Isaiah 32:4.

The Reading

December 16, 2023

“The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.”  Isaiah 32:4