This Advent, learn a lesson from Jacob Marley and Ebenezer Scrooge | Opinion

Editor's note: Advent 2022 is from Nov. 27 to Dec. 24. The season of Advent is the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.

For many years, my mother was an English teacher. Although she retired several years ago, she continues to carry a love for the written word, devouring articles, books and columns daily. Her passion for the English language is infectious even though it compels her to meticulously correct the grammar of those around her.

When I was in the seventh grade, I was assigned to her class. While I’m sure I’ve forgotten both how to diagram certain parts of speech and the differences between Greek and Roman mythology, what I remember most about that year was witnessing my mother’s enthusiasm for Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol," a book she taught every December even though it wasn’t part of the assigned curriculum. She loves the characters and the writing and has preferences for on-screen adaptations (the George C. Scott version will always be he favorite), but above anything else she believes in Dickens’ timeless message of repentance, generosity and love.

As the years have passed, my own little family has developed a tradition of watching the "The Muppet Christmas Carol" as we decorate the tree on the first Sunday of Advent. Although half the cast consisted of puppets, the Muppet version brilliantly incorporates some of Dickens’ lines into the screenplay and does an excellent job conveying the moral lesson that Dickens was so eager to impart. Our family sings along with the music every season – our girls know all the words – and we become teary as we watch Bob Cratchit lumber home from church with Tiny Tim on his shoulders.

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This past Thanksgiving, with the weather crisp and clear, I decided to go for a walk in our neighborhood. As I anticipated our family’s upcoming screening of "The Muppet Christmas Carol," I decided to listen to an audiobook of the unabridged version of "A Christmas Carol" as I strolled down the street, perhaps out of a mix of nostalgia and a desire to prepare my heart for the season. As I walked and listened to Dickens’ words, I was struck by an unfamiliar quote.

Many of us are familiar with the three ghosts – the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future – who come to visit Scrooge in the story, but we sometimes forget that the first ghost who appears to warn Scrooge of what lies ahead is Scrooge’s deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, weighed down with chains and regret. His conversation with the frightened Scrooge is dark and heavy, and it was these words that struck me:

“At this time of the rolling year,” the specter said, “I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow beings with my eyes turned down and never raise them to that blessed star which led the wise men to a poor abode?”

As I walked down the street, witnessing neighbors exchanging pumpkins for greenery as they prepared to usher in the busyness of Christmas, I wondered how applicable Marley’s words might be to us. For those of us who observe Advent, in whatever imperfect way, where might our gaze be? Will we, as Marley did, rush through the season with eyes at our feet, to-do list in hand, living in a tunnel vision of our own making only to regret it on Dec. 26? Or will we commit to being aware of all that surrounds us in this season of hope and peace, fixing our eyes on those around us, taking our time to savor the magic of the season and placing our hope in what lasts?

Marley’s is a cautionary tale for dear Scrooge, and Scrooge’s life is all the better for the encounters on Dec. 24 that cause him to repent of his selfishness, open his heart and vow to “honor Christmas in my heart and keep it all the year.” Might we, like Scrooge, take a cue from the ghost of Jacob Marley this season, eschewing all that is temporary and keeping our eyes fixed on what matters and what endures?

In the words of Tiny Tim, “God bless us, every one.”

Mary Cady Bolin is a writer and pastor based in Nashville. She writes about spiritual life, current events and family.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opinion: This Advent, learn a lesson from Jacob Marley