Zephaniah 3: 16

"Do not let your hands go limp. . ."

Reflection by Donna Schaper

Praise is the purpose of Christmas. If we miss its joy, we miss Christmas. If we find its joy, we find Christmas. My friend has a sign on her refrigerator: "It's not going to happen that way."  She is preparing herself for a day and a life of surprises. She is grooming her "To Don't" list. If we want to get the energy in our hands – the energy to clap or to touch or to wiggle – we probably need to do less, plan less, be more. Instead of working harder, we might work easier. We could skip out of the meeting as though we had an important call. Maybe it is coming from the Spirit. Take a well day. Get the Christmas cards out in July. Refuse to let Christmas turn your hands limp.

To have a different Christmas we have to get strong pliers gripped tenderly and firmly onto punishmentalism and we have to lift it out of our hearts. Then we will also get it off our airwaves and out of our political economy. When we change, things change. Internalized capitalism and its commands and punishments are the true enemy of praise.

Too many of us are looking for a bargain when a luxury is nigh. This Christmas would be a great time to notice what we have already seen. What we have already seen is the failure of excess to provide a future for the children of the world. What we have already seen, if we would only look, is that big is usually too big and small can be tender and beautiful. Too many presents under the tree are oppressive. A parent who can be enchanted by a child, a lover who can be enchanted by a lover, a sense of being in charge—these are the presents we need to give and receive.

Prayer

Raise my hands, O God, high in the air. Point them up and out, let them snap and clack and wave. Get my time famine out of my way. And help me get it out of the world. Amen.

About the Author Donna Schaper is the Senior Minister of Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Her latest work is 20 Ways to Keep Sabbath, from The Pilgrim Press. Check out her work at www.judson.org.

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