Faith and/or Science

What Child is This?

/ Elizabeth Gaucher / 3 Comments

Christmas Eve is only hours away.  There are so many joys to celebrate, and so many blessings to treasure, and yet the world reminds us in ways loud and quiet that life is also fraught with suffering and loss.

A man died, frozen to death, under a bridge in my hometown this week.  His body was discovered several days after he died, covered in frost.  His name was Robert Hissom.  I didn’t know him, and the circumstances of his death suggest it had been a long time since anyone knew him.

This post is not about analysis or solutions, it is simply a recognition that this man was once someone’s baby.  Somewhere things went horribly wrong for Robert.  Some people say he was probably mentally ill, that he was an addict, an alcoholic, a “loser.”  These things are either speculation or opinion at this point; regardless, they have nothing to do with the sadness that comes over the heart and mind at his lonely death.  What is certain is that he was once a little boy who played, and went to school, and had friends, and had dreams.  He wanted to be loved, and protected, and to grow up to have a great life.

The happiness associated with Christmas is tempered with the understanding that the babe faces a solitary and agonizing death.  If Robert’s story speaks to you in any way, please consider one more gift commitment this holiday season.  In Charleston, West Virginia, I recommend contacting Covenant House to find out how money, advocacy, time, and donations of food or clothing can help someone in trouble.  If you live elsewhere, please contact the nonprofit in your community that works to address chronic homelessness.

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Image credit: Social Exclusion Housing

 

 

 

Bumping Into Aslan

/ Elizabeth Gaucher / 1 Comment

At The Clay Center this week, my child and I encountered The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe on the DVD player in the little kids’ play area.  The Chronicles of Narnia represent one of the finest series in literature for young people, but my girl’s not ready at two years old to witness Aslan‘s self-sacrifice for a boy who has turned from friends and family to the rewards of evil; since that scene was imminent and there were no other kids around in that moment, I turned the movie off and we went on to Lincoln Logs and Shel Silverstein.

I know human beings have a mad tendency to create “meaning” out of random events.  We need to make sense of our lives, but truly there are times some things just seem like they are trying to get my attention.  In this same week I ran across a quote from C.S. Lewis that I wanted to use for the blog, and seeing Aslan reminded me to go home and try to find the reference.  In that process, I found another quote, one I had never seen before, and it rendered me speechless.

I have read it now about twenty times.  I’m still not sure what to make of it, but it is fascinating and seems to be trying to help me understand something I don’t “get.”  I suspect Aslan wants me to clue in to my feelings about modern people who generate anger in me; today’s tax collectors, lepers, and prostitutes may be the head-stompers, child molesters, and radio talk show hosts I despise.  In short, I think this may be about moving beyond an idea on paper, and embracing it in practice.  I’ll keep working on it.  In the meantime, as always dear reader, the floor is open to your thoughts as well.

“We must, therefore, not be surprised if we find among Christians some people who are still nasty. There is even, when you come to think it over, a reason why nasty people might be expected to turn to Christ in greater numbers than nice ones. That was what people objected to about Christ during His life on earth: He seemed to attract ‘such awful people’. That is what people still object to and always will.”

— C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Image credit: Explore Faith

Thanks to Man Pants blog for helping me find the quote.