Brothers and Sisters,
I grew up in Delaware. Coming from the mid-atlantic region our winters were white.. as in cold, snow, and skies that were either sunny or gray in preparation of snow. I now live in Florida. Where its either sunny or raining. During Christmas it is generally not cold. In fact most Christmas seasons I have spent here, you could probably go swimming. At least camping and BBQ in the back yard. It just does not “feel” normal to me. Sometimes it can be work to get into that warm fuzzy Christmas spirit… Sometimes it doesnt happen until a day or so before.
I have thought about this over the years. The truth is, that it is not a weather phenominon, it is a spiritual one. It is an epiphany, an awakening in us that causes us to remember how to love. How we should love all year long and through out our lives. Maybe we should consider changing that word.. to Christ-tide spirit.
It is easy to be jaded by our physical surroundings. It is easy to see the corruption and hatred, the things that are lacking in the physical world. Hate and wars, violence, crime, and greed all play a part in our daily lives. Can we rise above the physical, and walk into the light ?
Think back to when you were a child.. Christmas was magical… mysterious…. Advent was full of joy.. full of sharing and people were good to each other. People greeted each other on the street. Friends visited with each other and hatchets got buried all for love of God. In the spirit of the season. In the spirit of Love. The closer we got to Christmas the stronger those feelings became.
When I was a bit older, my father used to take us Christmas caroling in the back of his old white pickup truck. We would find an opportune street lamp to play under. After we were done playing people would invite us in to share hot chocolate or coffee and cookies, or just an word of thanks.
I remember one winter there was one of my mothers students whos house burned down. The town got together and got them clothes and shelter and food.
Consider your own spiritual awakening this year. The opening of your heart to the love that is Christ all year long. To live Christmas every single day. Give presents, Give Love, Give hope. Give the Christ in you to the people you meet.
Take some time, read the nativity narrative, and take the time to contemplate what that really means to you and I. How incredible it is that God, would take human form to redeem us, and to give us this awesome gift of himself, and how very much he loves us.
Reflections of a Secular Franciscan 
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