From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers
Dear friends,
Merry Christmas! I pray you found a meaningful way to celebrate Christ’s birth yesterday, and I pray you may find the way Christ is longing to be born in you and through you this Christmas season.
The words came out of my mouth at the beginning of an Advent retreat I facilitated, “Maybe you don’t need the infant Christ right now? Maybe you are longing for another aspect of Christ’s life? We do have the gift of the full story of his life!” These words had been building over the last few days as I listened in spiritual direction. Yes, we were fully in the Advent season, preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ. And yet, person after person I listened to was looking to cling to a different part of Christ. I began to invite them to make their Advent prayer a calling of the part of Christ they needed. For days leading up to this moment of retreat, I heard people’s prayers turn to…O’ Come O’ Come…
- Risen One, who can help me believe there is life after death
- Companion in my suffering, who can share my sorrow and comfort my pain
- Healer, who can mend my broken heart
- One who sends us forth, who can help me know how to use my gifts
These beautiful prayers I heard for days led to this moment of inviting a whole room of religious brothers and sisters on retreat to name the part of Christ they need in their life right now and call out for him to come near. At the end of the retreat, one of the brothers came up to me and said, “Becky, you gave me permission to call out to the part of Christ I needed. It wasn’t the infant Jesus. It opened the entire retreat up for me, and I was surprised at what part of Christ’s life I was offered today.”
As I heard his words, I knew that Christ was giving me permission also to call out to the part of Christ I needed at this moment of life. And it wasn’t the infant Jesus. It was Christ who knew the full story. Who not only was born human but lived life on this earth. The one who was human, and who endured death, and somehow rose from the dead and continues to live with us today in a new way. I needed Christ who had not only experienced death and Resurrection, but the one who had also found purpose and meaning after being so radically changed by both. Christ who learned how to live completely transformed with a new spirit. Christ who gave us the Holy Spirit and showed the way forward to his disciples after letting go of everything they once knew. That was the Christ I needed. It is the Christ I still need.
I began to call out to that part of Christ, begging for Christ to be born in me in this way. Longing for the Light of the Christ that can illuminate a way forward after life-changing loss, a long season of darkness, that yielded suddenly to a birthing of hope in the confusing beginnings of new life. I am still crying out to Christ who I know in my bones can show me the new way to live as one who knows both darkness and holds a deeper belief in the hope of new life.
I know that Christ is coming to me. I know Christ is being born in me, through me, and around me. There are many ways I do not fully understand, but I see the Incarnation happening again and again. I know Christ is coming to you, too. Christ is being born in you, through you, and around you. How is Christ wanting to come to you this Christmas season? What does Christ’s birth look like in your life right now? Where do you long for Christ to be born in you and through you?
Whatever it is let this be your Christmas prayer:
Christ, come.
Christ, come now.
Christ, be born in me as you wish.
Know I am praying for you to be open to Christ’s birthing in you and through you. I am so deeply thankful for each of you and your witness of Light in the world. May this Christmas season expand your joy and release Christ’s light out of you into those around you!
Peace,
Becky
Photo by Tahiro Achoub on Unsplash
Becky Eldredge
December 26, 2024