God is With Us

God is With Us

December 18, 2012

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

By Beth DeCristofaro

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.  (Jeremiah 23:5)

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."  (Matthew 1:23)

Piety

Draw near to those, O Man of Sorrows, who drink from the chalice of grief this night.
You who knelt in agonized prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, know the pain of human loss and the anguish of sorrow.  (“The Chalice of Grief,” Celtic Prayers & Reflections,  Jenny Child)

Study

When I was a child, my 33-year-old uncle died of leukemia leaving my aunt with five children to raise.  Even though I did not really know him as he and his family lived quite a ways from us, I have stark and vivid memories of that time.  It was just days before Christmas.  I saw my mother cry for the first time in my life.  At his funeral  I stood leaning against my warm and sheltering great-uncle and shivered violently with cold and emotions.   Years later, I asked my father if we kids had opened presents that year.  "Of course," he told me.  But my memories are just of loss, not of receiving.

That was one of several episodes which I believe started me on a path.  I think standing in that cold watching the adults around me feel so helpless alerted me to the finality and fragility of life.  But also the loving care which many gave my cousins and the strength of faith in my family made me aware that something big and hopeful was present even in the sadness.  Over the years I realized that I wanted to help people and have God with me, to serve God.  And that became for me chaplaincy.  That belief in God’s loving presence as Man who conquered death and sin,  and that the Divine chooses to reside within each of us keeps me going some days... 

Action

God came and continues to come to us.   Jeremiah and the angel proclaimed God is near.   I can’t help thinking that the Man of Sorrows weeps too often for holy innocents whose lives are destroyed in senseless violence, war, genocide, homicide, abuse.  Are we asleep as He weeps?