I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
That’s a classic Christmas song. It was first recorded by Bing Crosby back in 1943. It became a hit partly because it was on the flip side of White Christmas record, but also because it “struck a chord” with all those service men and women stationed overseas during World War II.
It continues to be a hit today. Probably because most of us still have nostalgic images of what home is supposed to be at Christmas time. But you know the image we have in our heads (or the image that we see on TV Christmas specials) rarely fit the reality of what our homes are like.
Oh, don’t get me wrong . . . I hope that your Christmas was filled with all the warmth and goodness that you wanted. But too often these days:
-not everyone can be there
-some have to work on holidays
-some homes had to deal with illness this year
-inevitably there usually something that goes wrong
I remember on one of our Christmas growing up . . . we exchanged names for gift giving. My one brother had another brother’s name and he bought zip-up hoody sweatshirt. Well things were going well until later that day, the two of them got into a pushing fight outside and the one had his new sweatshirt on and it ended up getting torn/ripped. And you know that brother continued to wear the sweatshirt for months . . . still ripped as sort of “take that” attitude.
Well, maybe our household is the only one that ever had people get upset and get things broken on Christmas. Is that correct?
Actually I don’t remember too many holidays when someone wasn’t ‘picking on someone else” or someone didn’t pilled their glass of milk at the table. One Christmas I managed to knock over the Christmas tree . . . twice in the same day. It wasn’t pretty. I think that next year my Mom bought unbreakable ornaments.
Well what do we come home to? In the gospel reading, Mary and Joseph take their baby boy, Jesus, to the temple as all Jewish parents did. . to give thanks, get their kid circumcised, have the Mom purified and to announce the name of their son. It is supposed to be a happy and joyous event. But what happens to them? An elderly man name Simeon comes up to them and says, “Now I can die in peace for I have seen the savior of the world.” Well that sounds good. But then he adds, “Oh and this kid is going to cause a lot of trouble for Israel, and good too. And you, the Mom, you are going to have your heart broken over him. Have a nice day.”
Whoa, that’s rough. But what mother here hasn’t known heartbreak over something her kids has done. What father also hasn’t been also hurt?
But the point is . . . every family is going to experience difficulty. If you expect your family to be perfect (especially on Christmas), I have “three calling birds and two French hens” that I’ll like to sell ya.
Yes, there will be difficulties. Yes, things won’t always go well. There may even be times when family members don’t even talk to one another for years. Our task is not to give up on our families, but to continue to work on the relationships by listening, not provoking senseless arguments, praying for each other and trying to bring out the best of each other.
We celebrate the Holy Family today, because even though they were to experience hardship . . . in the end they also experienced joy . . and wonder . . . and delight in the resurrection. Jesus’ whole life was to show us that even through suffering, we can expect goodness.
My family got together yesterday, Saturday. All 48 of us. We got together for the annual Anderson Dysfunctional Christmas Gathering. It has been said that 98% of all families are dysfunctional . . . and the other 2% are in denial.
So even though a “perfect family” or a “perfect holiday” might only be a dream. This family right here, the one we call “Christ Our Light” is likewise not perfect but it is the place we come together to celebrate a God who loves us (even in our imperfections) and invites to laugh more, let go more and stay connected . . . as family. As home
Christmas time will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams