a christmas story
last night, i was doing evening prayers at bedtime with my son, isaiah. he started his prayers, and then stopped. he turned to me and said, dad, i think i only half believe in god and half don't believe in god. if everyone is part of god's family, why doesn't god stop people from hurting other people? god can't stop people from being mean. god can't stop all the wars.' he said, "i used to think god was magic, and god could just boom make something happen, and now i don't."
i said, tenderly, that's okay isaiah. that's a good thought. and i tried to simply explain the idea of god as the power of life, of creation, who gives us the gift of life but also the choice how to live. we can live as god wants us to live, or we can make up our own ways of living that for some people mean hurting others to get what they want. and I said that god sent jesus to be born and live as a person so we would know that god loves us and god wants us to love one another.
the theology of the cross at age six: we live by faith, and not by sight. god's power is known in weakness. the weakness of a helpless child amidst a suffering people, yet in the midst of incredible promise. the star, the hope of mary, the song of angels, the wonder of shepherds, the gifts of the magi.
isaiah and grace have been at loggerheads over playing the role of mary in our annual family christmas pageant. i thought that this conflict would come to blows on numerous occasions over the last week. but as i stood up to leave isaiah's room last night, he said, 'dad, i think i'll let grace be mary. i want to be one of the three kings and bring a gift to the baby (to be played by isaiah's now three-week-old cousin, amos).
anon, and + christmas peace to all
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