Together, let’s send out ‘Joy to the World’

As dinner was ending on our first full day in Taiwan, Sister Anna, one of our SP hosts, announced, “We should go see the Christmas lights in New Taipei City.”

Somewhat confused about Christmas lights in a country that is less than 4 percent Christian, I, nonetheless, soon found myself in the midst of a wonderland of lights, lights and more lights.

Lights were hanging in riots of color and design between street lights, in archways across sidewalks, entangled around walkways and bridges.

Lights were dancing in images on sidewalks and sides of buildings. Snowmen and reindeer, candy canes and wreaths were all lit up. Lights not only decorated Christmas trees, lights actually formed Christmas trees.

Everywhere I looked in this wonderland of lights, I say joy. People were running from one creative display to another, trying to capture the beauty of the moment with their camera phones or handing over phones to others to “please take a picture of our group.”

Despite my own jetlag, I, too, was filled with joy. Happy to be there, yes, but I was beyond happy. I felt part of an exquisitely beautiful moment of connection with perfect strangers. I felt safe and peaceful – all was right with the world.

Could this be the light of which Isaiah wrote, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone?”

This moment had nothing to do with the Christ of Christmas – there were no nativity scenes, no shepherds or angels. Even the word Christmas was spelled out on the lawn as XMAS.

And yet, this moment had everything to do with the Christ of Christmas.

‘Children, Children Everywhere’

Fast forward to Saturday, December 9 for Christmas Fun at the Woods. No lights, but a wonderland of children, children everywhere.

By the time I had welcomed visitor number 682 at the front entrance table, I was feeling that same exquisite feeling of connection with perfect strangers. We were all safe and peaceful in this house of Providence – all was right with the world.

Could this be the moment of which Isaiah wrote, “Then the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. … They shall not harm or destroy on all my holy mountain.”

This moment, with its games and face painting, bird-feeder creating and reindeer cookie making, visits to Santa and the alpacas, among so many other activities, might have as easily happened in New Taipei City as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Christmas Fun is not really about the Christ in Christmas and yet it is all about the Christ in Christmas.

It is the Christ who comes in a red Santa suit and cradles an infant, in the multitude of volunteers who call out Bingo number or push sisters in wheelchairs so that they, too, can enjoy the action.

It is the Christ who comes in the kindness of strangers who stop and take your group’s picture or bow in amazement at the creativity of the human spirit.

At the center of it all is the Christ who prayed: “that they may all be one, as you, Abba are in me and I in you … that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”

‘Joy of Connection’

The love that the Christ of Christmas proclaimed needs to live in every corner of our world, no matter our faith or religious orientation.

It is the kind of love that does not harm nor destroy, that brings light into the dark places of the lives of others, especially those who walk in glom because of harm and destruction; the kind of destruction brought on by war and violence, discrimination and others’ selfish greed.

It is the kind of love that leads to the joy of connection – connection with the source of all connection – connection with one another no matter our race, color, creed or orientation.

Jesus the Christ did show us the way to this kind of love. May this new year find us following that path so that someday soon all will be right with the world.

Merry Christmas. May you renew your connections with those you love and with those who need your love. Together, let’s send out “Joy to the World.”