Faith Scribbling

The new year is a natural time of reflection, self-assessment, and goal-setting. What have we accomplished? What do we plan for the next 12 months? It is a valid and valuable exercise in the spiritual life of all Christians. The New Year Marks a Great Time for New Beginnings.  Paul’s letter to the Romans comes to mind today, both as a reminder to engage in self-assessment and to commit to renewal. Looking at the beginning of Romans 12 in reverse order, let’s start with reflection. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. – Romans 12:3 (NIV) Sober judgement does not mean being overly critical of oneself; instead, it’s about being realistic. What have you done in the past year with the gifts, talents, and graces God has given you? Have you done everything (anything?) you could to help others...

During the Christmas season, many of us search. We search for the perfect gift, the right outfit for the office party, or the cutest pictures to share on our Christmas cards. For many it can also be a futile search for happiness. People search for Christmas “magic,” possibly trying to recapture a feeling from long ago, days remembered through the rose-colored glasses of time. And for many, it is a fruitless search, a search for something that doesn’t exist. The true search that many overlook, or from which they turn away (often due to the actions of others), is the search for a genuine relationship with God. The meaning of the event of Christmas is obvious to Christians. We don’t know Jesus’ exact birthday, but we celebrate it on December 25. We celebrate the birth of our Savior. We might think that’s enough in and of itself, but as humans, we need to develop in our faith, a faith that goes beyond the celebration of this miracle. As Jesus developed spiritually – illustrated b...

“Keep Christ in Christmas? How about we see some Christ in Christians?” I am paraphrasing a tweet I saw the other day, one that has stuck with me. Every Christmas season, we are reminded by the media of the “War on Christmas,” replete with stories of competing displays in public spaces placed to counter the message of the Nativity scene. This year we have the heart-warming Satanist display in Illinois and, here in Connecticut, the holiday greetings banner from our atheist neighbors . (Happy holidays too, my neighbors!)   Some see this as a threat, taking to social media to remind us they will be wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and will sing along with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” And yes, Baby, it’s cold outside.   Let’s be real for a moment about this approach. People who say they don’t like Christians and Christianity are repulsed by what they see as hypocritical, obnoxious behavior. And they have a point. When the things one enjoys about Christmas are u...