The Warmth of Winter's Holidays

Dear Evergreen,

During these shortest days of the year, do you, like me, arrive into our Cascade View sanctuary on Sunday mornings feeling gratitude for our warmth and light and welcome? As we listen to new music rising among us, readings and poems, sermons of reflections echoing from our rows and pulpit, the hush of our shared meditative moments seem to settle us into a sacredness larger than ourselves. I must say, as we now turn through winter’s solstice and the longest nights of the year, I am grateful for the light and warmth of our fellowship.

Autumn’s chills have now given way to winter’s rains, winds and snows, beckoning us to slow our pace and gather close. This is why I cherish December’s holidays the most, like Bodhi Day, Christmas Day, Hanukkah, Solstice, and others. They’re days of reviving legends to inspire our collective consciousness. Throughout the ages, humankind has woven stories of the arrival of new life into winter’s holy garment of legends -- suspended in the boughs of evergreen trees, floated skyward as illuminated lanterns, lit one candle at a time in the evening’s warmth of home. I love this time of year and our focus on humankind’s legends of the miraculous births of new prophets of wisdom because they remind us that even during the darkest nights, hope is always being born.

As I write this letter, scenes of Christmas mangers are filling many minds and hearts with hope as the story of Jesus’ birth is shared via candlelight and carol. I’ve grown to cherish Unitarian Universalism’s perspective on winter holidays because we invite one another to widen our theological lens a bit, and embrace diverse journeys in faith beyond their simplistic tales. So beloveds, on this eve of solstice and Christmas I invite you to widen your wonder for the plurality of winter’s holidays and traditions around the world; holidays which honor the births and revelations of many prophets of peace and love who remind us -- during winter’s longest nights -- that wonder is always arriving.  

In the hushes and rushes of this season, we often find ourselves delighted by our children’s wonderment about all the legends swirling through the rains and snows. And I come to see their wonderment as a kind of testament of our faith in hope, wonder, generosity, and transformation. It can weave a winter’s worth of faith into the sacredness and preciousness of all life and living beings.  These long holiday nights can teach us how the light within us is not to be chased anxiously, but caringly and wonderously welcomed.

This December in our precious Salish Sea, we’re navigating floods, landslides, and torrents throughout our valleys once again. The world feels heavy with uncertainty for so many. But in such times, beloveds, I do believe we need our garments of legend more than ever; to remind our inundated souls that light and hope can and will arrive by our own hands and compassion -- as lifeboats, as safe dry places to rest, as nourishing groceries for body and spirit.

This holiday season, beloveds, may you lend your hands to transforming prophecy into peace,

May we celebrate and honor the gentle truth that there is no one path, no one faith, no one savior or teacher,

And may winter’s garment of legends awaken loving kindness within you.

With love and peace, warmly,

Rev. Joe