We are half-way there! Today is the sixth day of Christmas, the one with the six geese a laying. Our culture has been selling Christmas so long this season that it already feels like it should be over. In fact, most of the stores I’ve been in have already shifted their merchandise and sales to Valentines Day. It is easy to feel like there has already been enough, but there is still so much more!
Whenever I think I have a sense of the vast, universal message of Christmas, I become aware of how much more there is to explore and understand. On the surface, it seems like such a straightforward story, and to some degree it is. Yet, the more we ponder God’s great act in Jesus Christ, and the longer we consider the all of the surrounding story of this holy birth, the more of God’s love we discover, and the greater revelation of God in Jesus we uncover.
Pondering is a good thing. In fact, one of my favorite quotes of the Christmas story comes in Luke’s narration of Jesus birth. After Mary receives a visit from an angel telling her she will give birth to the Messiah, after a dramatic confirmation by Elizabeth and another from Joseph, and after a long trek to Bethlehem which includes the testimony of some shepherds who declare angels have confirmed them message again, Luke says, “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) Mary knew there was much, much more to consider than she understood at first glance.
Throughout history, this single verse from Luke was a favorite for those within the monastic traditions. It remains a special reflection to this day, because it echoes the heartbeat of those who would think deeply, and pray into, the profound things of God. So much of what there is to learn along our spiritual journey cannot be captured quickly. We need time to savor the details and mine the hidden treasures that lie well beneath the surface.
I am not suggesting that the revelation from God is not clear, nor should we be looking for strange, mystical interpretations of God’s word, but we should not settle for a quick reading that only skims the surface, when the word itself is inviting us into a deeper conversation. When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, he told them that the Holy Spirit was coming and that he would remind them of all Jesus said to them and teach them everything. That message is equally for us today. When we ponder, we are making room in our thoughts for the Holy Spirit to reveal what God is teaching us in that moment.
Like Mary, being good stewards of the word of God, the revelation of God, and our experience, involves pondering. It is active reflecting, which is the very definition of Christian meditation. Unlike other forms of meditation that seek to empty the mind, Christian meditation seeks to fill and the mind and spirit with the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It actively considers things seeking God’s perspective and insight, while trusting in the Spirit to reveal God’s word to us. Our insights should always be consistent with Scripture, but we should remember that, when we think we understand, we should understand there is more to be understood.
As we continue on our Christmas journey, instead of wishing the season was over, maybe we should be thankful for the time to reflect on the deeper things God would say to us this year as we, like Mary, treasure all these things and ponder them in our hearts.
