Poem: "Christmas is for Healing" by Macrina Wiedkerker, OSB

Loving you, 

of course I am not at all interested 

in how much money you are spending on Christmas gifts this year 

but rather, in how much blood, sweat, and tears 

you are shedding to make Christ 

a vital part of your life 

for you will never be able to erase the fact that he came: 

to touch lives – to break bread to heal hurt – 

to forgive sins to wash feet – to calm seas to walk on water – 

to give us the Spirit and to care immensely. 

Yes, to care enough to be born in our Bethlehem 

to live in our land, and weep over our cities and die and rise again. 

So now it’s Christmas 

and I am not sure what part of you is crippled 

or where you need to feel God’s saving power 

but with everything in me 

I believe that Christmas is for healing. 

And he came to heal, 

So if you can trust Jesus enough to walk out on the waters of getting involved, 

of washing feet and anointing people, 

of breaking bread and working miracles, 

I am almost sure his saving presence will touch those blind and crippled parts of your life 

and Christmas will come to you. 

More than anything else I want to give you Christmas this year 

It’s a gift, an offer 

You can take it if you like 

but I really can’t give it to you like a wrapped-up package. 

It is deeper than that, 

It is warmer, brighter, holier. 

It is more personal. 

Christmas is more challenging than a wrapped-up package. 

It is an offer 

It is a mystery 

It is birth 

It is hope. 

It is Christmas and God can never be born enough …