Solstice and Christmas

The reasons for the Season are the rebirth of the sun and the birth of the holy child. The two reasons are compatible for us.

Last night at 8:19 p.m
  the sun appeared to be as far away from us
    to our south
      as it ever goes.

Now it appears to be returning to us.

Those are just appearances, as we now know,
  but the reality,
    based on the tilt of Earth's axis
      (23.5 degrees from the plane of Earth's orbit),
      makes a huge difference in our lives.

Officially this solstice event marks the start of winter,
  and it also marks the start of our seasonal journey
    toward Spring.

As such it's a hopeful new beginning.

Likewise, Christians celebrate December 25,
  this coming Wednesday, as the birthday of Jesus,
    believed to be the Son of God,
      even though He customarily referred to Himself
        as the Son of Man.

There are many connections
  between Solstice and Christmas.

The rebirth of the Sun
  and the birth of the Son of God
    at least seem to be related.

The truth of both matters is
  often expressed in mythology
    so that we can understand it
      either more or less
        according to our use of the myths. 

As we begin to think of myths and our use of them,
  it's important to remember that a myth
    is not a falsehood.

Sometimes myths can represent deeper truths
  than our usual way of speaking of familiar things. 

Solstice affects our lives with the change of seasons.

The sun is the bringer of life and heat,
  both essential for life on our planet.

If it were to vanish from our sight,
  our lives would not last long.

We who live in the north retain
  a deep and ancient tendency toward anxiety
    as the sunlight diminishes
      in the days before solstice.

One of the most ancient myths
  used to represent that anxiety
    is the story of a giant serpent or dragon
      that tries to swallow the sun.

Apparently the Genesis story is not the only one
  to use a serpent as a representative of evil.

Each year the serpent is defeated
  and the sun is reborn to bring us light and warmth
    once again.

Likewise, myths like the story of Raven
  returning light to the people
    can bring comfort
      to our deep feelings around this time of year.

One version of the Myth of Raven was told
  in Episode 25
    of Northern Exposure, among my personal favorite
      farcical television series.

“A long time ago,
  the raven looked down from the sky
    and saw that the people of the world
      were living in darkness.

The ball of light was kept hidden
  by a selfish old chief.

So the raven turned himself into a spruce needle
  and floated on the river
    where the chief’s daughter came for water.

She drank the spruce needle.

She became pregnant and gave birth to a boy,
  who was the raven in disguise.

The boy cried and cried
  until the chief gave him the ball of light
    to play with.

As soon as the raven had the light,
    the raven turned back into himself.

The raven carried the light into the sky.

From then on, we no longer lived in darkness.”

Those words, "We no longer lived in darkness,"
  echo the ancient words of the prophet Isaiah,
    "The people who walked in darkness
        have seen a great light."

The light shining in the darkness
  is a theme of this time of year
    for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.

The shining lights we use to decorate
  can refocus our thoughts and feelings
    away from darkness and cold
      and toward light and warmth.

The stories around the birth of the Savior
  are also myths associated with this time of year.

The purpose of the myth is often lost
  in both the sacred and secular celebrations.

You see, the celebration of the birth of the holy child
  is intended to teach us to celebrate the birth
    of every child as a sacred event.

My own faith as a Christian
  includes the belief in Jesus as the Son of God.

My personal take on the meaning of that belief
  may be somewhat different from many others.

I believe that Christians believe in Jesus
  as the Son of God
    at least in part
      in order to remind us
        that we are all children of God
          and so brothers and sisters to each other.

No matter the language or beliefs we use about God,
  the understanding
    that we are all a part of each other,
      that is, sisters and brothers,
        can teach us all compassion.

The telling of the Christmas story
  can remind us all of the struggles of parents
    to provide
      for the needs and well being of their children
        even as the day to day work of parenting
          can obscure the sacred nature of their task.

From the understanding that every birth is sacred
  can flow something better
    than the thoughts and feelings
      we sometimes refer to as family values.

The emphasis on the birth of Christ at Christmas
  can serve as a corrective
    for many misconceptions in our culture.

It's no accident
  that the myth of the birth of Christ
    portrays him and his holy family
      as refugees,
        fleeing a violent political leader (Herod)
          just a few days after his birth.

The obligation of caring for refugees,
  for the poor and vulnerable,
    is a theme through the whole Bible,
      both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.

It may not be a popular idea
  as we celebrate Christmas,
    but according to the story in the Bible,
      the Christ child was born in a time and place
        of social and political turmoil.

As Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus flee into Egypt,
  they represent all the people
    who are having to leave one place
      and flee to another
        simply to survive.

This is especially important in our time.

All over the world, people are being uprooted
  and going to places where they hope to find
    welcome and a better life.

Sometimes they find it,
  and sometimes they do not.

Yet the Christmas story is a reminder for everyone
  of the importance of compassion
    in all our human relationships.

Even the story of the birth in a stable
  is a picture of compassion.

The innkeeper had
  no more room for them in the inn,
    but still he provided a safe place in the stable
      for Mary to give birth.

A manger may not have been an ideal cradle,
  but it was clean and warm for the newborn baby.

The story is not told to provide details
  about what did or did not happen in history.

It's told as a sign of compassion and hope.

We can see there
  in the manger scene
    an opportunity to understand our lives
      in new ways.

We can all say that in one way one way or another,
  things in our lives did not go as expected!

I feel sure that Mary and Joseph
  would have said the same.

Yet even so, as for them, so for us,
  there is hope for joy and well being
    in the midst of circumstances
      we never thought we would face.

Treating each other with compassion and kindness
  can go a long way
    toward transforming difficult situations
      into times and places of peace and light.

The rebirth of the sun at the Solstice
  and the birth of the Child at Christmas
    can be that kind of reminder for us all.

New beginnings are always possible.

We need each other to help us find them,
  to recognize them when they come
    and to seize the moment
      for the sake of the good things
        as we become aware of them around us.

Amen.
So Let It Be.
Blessed Be.