But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart Luke 2:19 RSV
In the verse above, from Luke’s gospel, we see Mary pondering on the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. In particular the shepherds account of what they had seen and heard out in the fields, that prompted them to hurry and find Jesus. And then to tell everyone about their experience.
As our Journey through Advent and the Christmas season comes to a close this week, may we like Mary reflect back on our Journey and ponder on:
- What we have experienced.
- How we have encountered God along the way.
- What we can share with those around us, from what we have gleaned from the Journey.
You can find all the reflections here.
In his famous poem, ‘When the Song of The Angels Is Stilled’, Howard Thurman reminds us, that when the festivities of the Christmas season are over, it is then that ‘the work of Christmas begins’.
“When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.”
I invite you now, to read this poem a few times and then to take time pondering on ‘the work of Christmas’ and what this might look like for you, in the situations and circumstances in which you currently find yourself.
Taking time to slow down, to be still and to pause and ponder in God’s presence can be a source of strength and encouragement and blessing, especially in these unprecedented times that we are going through.
If you are looking for daily readings to journey through the year with, I invite you to consider, Sea Salt – Spiritual Reflections for a Contemplative Journey. There are 5 weekday reflections and an audio meditation for the weekend. These come, via email straight to your inbox! You can read what people are saying about Sea Salt here You can sign up for the free trial here !
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