Passing Through

 

It must be getting close to Christmas because I spotted Santa camping out in the neighborhood. I suppose it is too far and too long a trip to return to the North Pole every night while doing reconnaissance in preparation for the big night. So the big guy carries a tent and sleeping bag and makes the most of it. We have really been having some cold nights, so I was relieved to see that Santa is skilled in building a fire. But then again, he has been making this whole gift delivery thing happen for a long time, so why the concern? Santa must always be on the move.

The old song says it well:

I'm just a poor wayfaring stranger

Traveling through this world below

There is no sickness, no toil, nor danger

In that bright land to which I go.

We are all poor wayfaring strangers, just passing through. Jesus was born and lived among us, but for a little while. Yet that brief sojourn here turned the world upside down. We tell the story of that brief life over and over and over again because it is not about the length of the years, but about the difference those years made - and are still making. In those brief years, Jesus healed the sick and included the marginalized. He pointed the way toward life that is centered in God and not self, that is about kindness and compassion. As Jesus passed through, he left a path for all to follow, a path that always leads to God and forgiveness and new beginnings.

We are all passing through, with this one, brief life to make count. We, like Mary and Joseph, can say “yes” to the possibilities in God and leave a legacy that will be making a difference far beyond what our minds can imagine. Oh, our circle will be smaller, of course. But our children, our neighbors, our coworkers, we might make a difference to them as we pass through. What a great thought it is, to make a difference.

I feel inspired to follow Santa’s lead and grab a sleeping bag and tent, and to start making the most of my life as I pass through. I’d like to make my brief years count, not just for myself, but for a few others along the way. That’s what I’m hoping to receive for Christmas this year, an awareness of how I spend my passing years as I am passing through.

Peace.