Making Room in the Inn

It is easy to write a column resolving to change our Christmas ways, but a bit more difficult mapping out what such a Christmas would look like.  We still have very small children at home—children who are dreaming about Santa Claus and that room full of toys on Christmas morning. I can see them in my mind’s eye tumbling down the stairs on Christmas morning, half sleepy, half exhilarated, and quivering with excitement.  When those new footie pajamas slide into the living room, what will they find there?  To tell the truth, at this point, I am not exactly sure.

This is the time of year I usually start Christmas planning with lists—gifts and toys, errands and jobs, food and clothing.  Endless purchases and tasks that seem to grow by the day until December 25th. Today, I am setting those thoughts and cares aside.  A Baby is coming, and we all want to meet Him. Our preparations must be about making room for Him and showing Him he is welcomed and loved. My only question this year will be, “How do we prepare for the Baby?”

In the Traditional Latin Mass, after the “Ite, missa est” (“Go, the Mass is ended”) and final blessing, the Last Gospel is read. The first few times we attended a traditional Mass, it was almost jarring to stand for a Gospel reading just when we expected the priest to process out. Every Sunday, it kept taking me by surprise. It is always the same opening passage from the Book of John, a mirror of the story of Creation, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Then comes a line that always cuts me to the heart:

“He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”

I wonder how many Christmases we have not really quite received Him.  Like that busy, overworked innkeeper, we did not abandon Him all together, but we set him aside in the stable, when He should have been the center of everything.  St. Luke tells the story so familiar: “And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” That inn was the original crowded shopping mall, so full of important people, distracted people, disgruntled people, that the Son of Man had no place to rest His head.

In “Life of Christ,” Venerable Fulton Sheen writes, “When finally the scrolls of history are completed down to the last words in time, the saddest line of all will be ‘There was no room in the inn.’”

This year, Christmas of 2015, with God’s help, may it be different.  May our homes be ablaze with light and love worthy to welcome “the true Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.”

Comments

[Meredith]

I have been reflecting on something similar, but not sure what this might look like for us. Look forward to comparing my notes to yours!

Meredith

[Abigail Benjamin]

I'm with you! I think the best place to start is within my own heart. I love Christmas Eve because that is the day that I feel like almost everyone gets to be a Carmelite--all of our little actions in the moment are for something bigger.

I'm also big in the moment in individuality. Like Christmas at your house shouldn't look like Christmas at my house. Somehow the giant stash of plastic gifts make things look "the same" version of success, where our inner version of a "good Christmas" should look unique and beautiful.

I'm following your posts with interest.

So far I've got that we are going hiking on Black Friday and then doing an act of love for our local Target and Walmart employees. I feel like those workers are the people who take the brunt of our Christian confusion about what makes "the good life" on Christmas Day.

[Barbara]

I have been working, for the past five years or so, on "holding back Christmas." I won't put the tree up until the third Sunday of Advent and I listen to Advent music instead of Christmas music. But my children are older now (some grown) and they don't like the new way. They don't celebrate way into January the way I do. It's difficult in this material world to make room in the inn, when neighbors, friends, even some family don't celebrate Him,but "the culture of Christmas." We have to keep trying, but I haven't gotten it just right yet. I do love, however, waking up on Christmas morning and walking past the Christmas tree, with gifts underneath, and heading out the door for Mass. That bit of the world stays under the tree until we have truly celebrated His birth. Maybe that's enough.

[Jamie Salvucci]

Alice it is always so wonderful to see you blogging!!! THis came at a great time. God willing we will be adding a 5th child to the mix this SPring and the toy/stuff chaos must be figured out before then. FOr the sake of my sanity. Anyway, each child is getting one toy, one family toy/game, and a pair of pajamas this Christmas. It has simplified everything. Been so much easier to budget. And other than the pjs my kiddie shopping is basically done. Anyway love t hear your ideas as Christmas is always hectic here and we always host Christmas day. God Bless you!!

[Betty Connally]

Love, love, love this!!! May I share?

[Therese Stimpfel]

Perfect...Alice,For Me it was the uproar over The Santa Display at a Mall...That made me do some Soul Searching..About What Christmas should be and is to Me..Yes I will Deck my Halls..But Because of You my Cousin....This Year will Be More about The Baby..The Reason for Christmas..Thanks Alice .Love You