Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the LORD. Malachi 3:3
There is something about the hurly-burly of Christmas, secular Christmas which suggests the need for the development of a peaceful routine of contemplation, compassion, prayer and monastic piety.
The entire season for many is about motion, searching for presents, attending parties.
The vogue of the season is to complain about this and that, to vow never to shop again or to start earlier. Secular Christmas dominates the popular culture, presents low calorie pleas for understanding, peace, love and high calorie demands to purchase, purchase, purchase.
Christmas is a time of hope. Christmas is a time of love. Christmas is a time of sacrifice. A true Christmas gift does not always come from the mall. It must come from the heart, from the soul. Self denial might be part of this gift, directed abstinence from some activity to promote spiritual growth.
Christmas does ask us to be different than we were yesterday; Christmas asks us to speak different, behave different, contemplate more. It is not the store purchases but the soul reflection which should be treasured and encouraged during this season.
Each Christmas present has the opportunity to be a sacrifice fly if it is purchased and given with compassion, hope, and love and if it is given to encourage and promote spiritual growth.
Each day during Advent and the Christmas season is an opportunity for all Christians to use the Cornell Note-taking system to evaluate their lives, both secular and spiritual, and find ways to move closer to God, find ways to serve God.
We all need a little sacrifice in our lives.
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