Pratt: Christmas: Some like the party, but reject the purpose
The dog, a blue-eyed husky, lost or abandoned, shows up in our yard a few days ago and today makes a plaintive “I want company” cry from outside as I write.
That similar howl led me to find the starving, frightened creature hugging the warmth of the mid-day sun reflecting off our front brick wall.
Her weakness apparent, she made her way to me as I brought a pan of water to the front door, then went to see if I could find something with protein for her to eat.
Obviously comfortable with the hand that fed her, she lay the rest of the day at the bottom of the door, hoping to be invited inside. The second day she outfoxed (or is it out-dogged me) and pushed inside.
She immediately went exploring through the house, sniffing what she wants to claim as her new home. But to her dismay, she was led and secured into the garage for the cold night. Ignoring a blanket on the concrete, she positioned herself on the garage doorstep.
She didn't seem to recognize any typical commands. We hope to find someone to match her strength and energy. She is longing to belong, to love and be loved, but is much too heavy and strong-willed for an old couple to handle. She wants to play.
Thinking of her need, I cannot help but remember that God looked down upon his creation of humanity and saw some of the same issues arise. His perfect human companions wanted more than the beautiful garden provided, which led Adam and Eve to disobedience by inviting Evil into their paradise.
Evil proliferates by producing envy, which enters one of the two sons born to Adam and Eve. Cain kills his brother in a jealous fit. Thus did war begin on Earth.
God placed within us a spark of divinity. We were greatly loved, yet lost, because only the Perfect can inhabit the heavenly realm. A devious rebellion by the commander of Heaven's Angelic forces, challenged God's rule by tempting the first couple into rebellion.
Biblical accounts of heavenly intentions and forces are given in language and stories for human comprehension. Years later, a scholar named Saul, noted persecutor and killer of Jesus followers, was on his way to eliminate what he believed to be a heretical group of Christ followers when he collapsed enroute to Damascus.
His name was changed from Saul to Paul after he was lifted into a heavenly vision too wonderful to express. Temporarily blinded, he became a follower of Jesus most noted for his missionary journeys to help the fledgling churches to understand, follow and teach the Gospel of Jesus.
As Christmas Day, with its subsequent family gatherings of feasting and gifting, is counted in hours rather than days now, I wonder how many of us will make it to church on Sunday to honor the coming of our salvation, Jesus, the Christ.
Yes, the food and gifts are the expression of love at family gatherings, but even more essential is knowing and experiencing what has become a familiar phrase, “the reason for the season.”
Customs vary around the world, but even nonbelievers know this story of the baby born in a manger. That he became the great “I AM” to sacrifice his life for our redemption is often over-looked.
May we all learn from the mysterious wise men from the East, watching the heavens for messages from the Great Beyond. They were seekers for God, expecting the core message of a love that conquers evil, removing the agony of separation from a Heavenly Home and access to good beyond our human imagination.
Christmas: some like the party, but reject the purpose. That too, is a God-granted freedom.
Our ability to understand the spiritual dimension is limited as is communication between human and strong-willed animal, taking effort as well as faith.
To readers: May you know a Christmas peace that invades your soul, opens your heart and heals your wounds.
Beth Pratt retired as religion editor from the Avalanche-Journal after 25 years. You can email her at beth.pratt@cheerful.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Pratt: Christmas: Some like the party, but reject the purpose
