What Does Christmas Mean to You?

During the homily today, Father Finian asked us to ponder what Christmas means to us. For me, I am just enamored by the incarnation, and I don't know much how to put that into words. Jon, a theology classmate of Sister Pamela Catherine, shared a beautiful Christmas song with her that does help to express this wonder:

"Winter Snow"- Audrey Assad w/ Chris Tomlin

Winter Snow - higher resolution from Eric Rutgrink on Vimeo.

Lyrics:
Could’ve come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could’ve come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Could’ve swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we’ve scarred

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

No, Your voice wasn’t in a bush burning
No, Your voice wasn’t in a rushing wind
It was still, it was small, it was hidden

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

The Motherhouse is getting trimmed and looking lovely. In the novitiate, we sat down and worked on Christmas cards together while listening to Susan Boyle's new CD, "The Gift". It was a "gift" Sister Pamela Catherine and I gave to Sister Natalie for her birthday. We put together a scavenger hunt around the novitiate for her and it was at the end....we were amazed at how quickly she figured out the clues!

Today we are going the Rahr-West Art Museum to see their Christmas display with the Novitiate team. I am looking forward to that.

What does Christmas mean to you? A time for sharing? A time for family and/or friends? A time for community? A time to mourn? A time to celebrate? A time for a break from school? A time to give and to receive? A time to remember and honor in a special way the men and women serving overseas? A time to bake Christmas cookies? A time to help others believe (or maintain their belief) in Santa? Getting "time-and-a-half" at work to help make ends meet?