December: A Mix of Quiet and Chaos

Last week, I was busy in New York with my daughter prepping wreaths, gift buying and tree decorating. Our fir was not quite as big as the one in Rockefeller Square where we took selfies along with the multiple crowds enduring or enjoying the frenzy of New York City at Christmas. I love the vibes for at least a day and then it seems like the words from Chris Tomlin's Winter Song reflect the pace I prefer—quiet, soft and slow. The song refers to the entry of Jesus to earth quite unlike the mighty storm or a tidal wave he might have chosen; rather "he came like fallen snow." Like those cards with Mary as the focal point, Joseph in the background, Jesus in the foreground, and shepherds and animals looking on as they reflect a peaceful family scene. Where’s the noise surrounding Jesus' birth? As the poet Malcolm Guite writes:

            We think of him as safe beneath the steeple,

            Or cozy in a crib beside the font,

            But he is with a million displaced people

            On the long road of weariness and want.   

But at the center of the chaos, Mary, Luke’s gospel tells us, kept these things in her heart. Some translations use the word  'pondered,' which means to combine or bring different ideas into a coherent whole. It suggests that in the silence Mary began to put together the details about the census, the trip to Bethlehem, the angelic appearances and the prophetic word that her child was destined for trouble. The phrase kept these things is not new in scripture. The Old Testament records several–Jacob kept the matter in mind after his son Joseph aroused his brother's jealousy by boasting about his dream. Daniel, likewise, 'kept the words in his heart' after a troubling night of visions. Mary’s struggle to comprehend the difficult matters concerning her life and those she loves is hardly passivity. She may be depicted as submissive femininity but the reality is Mary showed up in the chaos of her times and confronted the hard stuff. There’s a lot of room in Mary, writes Kathleen Norris. December may be full of joy or, for some, empty and dark. The season may not meet all my expectations, but I look forward to moments of quiet reflection and those chaotic events where showing up is part of the celebration. As I write this blog Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong fills the house—Have yourself a merry little Christmas, may your heart be light.