For those not feeling "merry" this Christmas

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

On this holy day when we are Christ Child’s birth, there are many people for whom very little is “merry” about Christmas. Are you feeling this way? Even a little bit? If so, this Christmas message is for you. 

Over the past few weeks I have visited with our members who are home-bound, ill or out-of-work. They all have sad stories to tell. They used words like these to capture their Christmas feelings: lonely, discouraged, depressed, aching, angry, saddened, hurting, etc. For some, they are celebrating a Christmas without their spouse for the first time in decades. For others, they are divorced from their spouse and estranged from their children, so Christmas is a time of loneliness and isolation. For others, they have a mountain of medical bills so they can’t afford to buy proper presents for their children and grandchildren.

You may be dealing with personal troubles and situations that cause a dull, throbbing of sadness in your heart and mind or that cause a sharp pain of anguish in your spirit and soul. You see all the decorations around and you hear the music. The sight of happy children is a reminder of that you have lost a child to death. The busy social schedule of some only highlights your empty calendar. The images of families together reinforces the pain that your family is apart. You receive the cheerful, bright and wonderful greeting cards from friends and family. These things are yet more pointed reminders to you of a long-felt grief, or hurt, or sorrow – a reminder that while many are merry, you are not.

Christmas can often also be a reminder of the failings of the past year that haunt you, a reminder of all your personal faults and the trouble that you may have brought on yourself, with your own sinful choices and actions. Oh, how sharp that pain is, and particularly so at a time of “happiness,” when you are feeling anything but happy.

That is why it is so important to let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly this Christmas, a Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us, a Word through whom all things have been made. It was this Word, sent from the Father, full of grace and truth, who came among us to be your great Savior from sin, from death and the power of hell. He came in the manger to die on the cross. He came to give His righteousness to cover your imperfection. He endured His Father pouring out His wrath on Him so that He could then pour out His Father’s love and grace upon us.

We celebrate at Christmas that:

The Word became flesh …
Master became servant …
Creator became a man …
Perfection became sin so that old would be new …
Death would be life …
Slave would be heir …
Sorrow would be joy …
… and we would be His forever!

The same Child who brought peace on earth and good will to men will bring that peace and good will into your family. The same love that caused Jesus to die on the cross for forgiveness, will fill your life with love and forgiveness. The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your discouragement. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ, can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life. The same power which brought Christ into Mary’s world, will bring Christ into your world.

In spite of the loneliness, and in spite of the pain, and there is no denying either, there always stands Christ, with arms open wide, saying to you, “Lo, I am with you alway.” He says to you, “Let not your heart be troubled” and “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” Though death may have robbed you of your Christian loved one, Jesus assures you, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” When temptations are bothering you, when Satan is plaguing you, belt out your favorite hymns. Terrify the devil, possibly with your singing voice, but especially with the voice of Jesus who can be heard in your words telling the devil, “Get behind me, Satan!”

Pray the Lord’s Prayer. Out loud. Meditate on the Psalms. Read the Gospels. Make the Scriptures your own. They are the words from the Word made flesh. Receive the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper often for strength, comfort and forgiveness. For the Word Himself comes to you in His flesh and blood in this Holy Supper.  

These are not some kind of “magic formulas” for magically making your pain go away. Rather, they are God’s way of giving you the true and lasting gifts of Christmas – forgiveness, life and salvation; peace, grace and mercy. These are the gifts that are truly what make for a Merry Christmas.

No matter in what situation you find yourself, you can, and you will, have a “merry” Christmas, with Christ at the center, Christ in your heart and Christ by your side. For He is the Word who has come and made His dwelling among us, and in you. Amen.