Things that make you go hmm . . .
The reason . . .
What’s the reason for this Christmas season when not all of us are filled with glee?
by Shanell T. Smith
The reason for the season
The birth of Jesus Christ
The purpose for advent
The inception of his life
The joy of the Savior
The promise of his love
The praises that are due him
Whose name none is above
He is the reason . . .
For the season is upon us
Many are filled with glee
But that is not the case
For some of us, you see
There are women who can’t conceive
No birth stories to celebrate; they grieve
Those who lost loved ones over the course of the year
It’s difficult to be of good cheer
Parents who stare at their kids’ Christmas lists
As they wonder how they can afford even one gift
The homeless—cold, searching for food under lifted cans
The ones filled with excess on our privileged lands
The military who protect us, far away from their kin
Hoping and wishing to rejoin them again
The reason . . .
For the season is a time to reflect and consider
Just how much we are blessed, and for us to remember
Not only the importance of “Emmanuel with us”
But his ministry of giving, of caring, of justice
Let us pray for those who are suffering and weeping
Do what we can for those who are needing
A meal, a hug, a shoulder, a friend
And when the season is over, do it again and again
Jesus was born! His love is not limited to this season
So go and do likewise, for this is . . .
The reason.
Shanell T. Smith is a teaching elder in the PC(USA) and assistant professor of New Testament and Christian origins at Hartford Seminary.