Weariness and Satisfaction

December 24, 2020

Weariness and Satisfaction

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.

Isaiah 9:6-7

Merry Christmas Eve! Or depending when this actually publishes, Merry Christmas! This blog post will be slightly different, mostly due to the fact as not to make it a dissertation (just kidding, I’ve lost my Oxford word count magic), I will have a double blog post in which I blog separately some of the delicious Christmas Baking I’ve done:)

It is hard to believe that Christmas has come so fast, yet somehow so slow. This past advent season has been one of intentional reflection, observing as many traditions as possible, and joy, laughter, and at times sadness.

Tonight my family and I participated in perhaps my favorite “newer” tradition, my church’s Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. I say newer, because up until about 5-6 years ago, my church did not host one, nor had I been to one that I could actually remember. I love the tradition of the reading of scripture and lighting of advent candles, and singing silent night by candlelight never fails to make me tear up. However, what was surprising to me was how moved I was at the sermon. In a year in which plans have been disrupted/changed, the tradition of going to Christmas Eve service was a welcomed “normal”. Nevertheless, the message was anything but normal. If you are like me and have grown up in the church, or perhaps are what I would term as “culturally Christian”, then you most likely have heard the Christmas Story 100 times. Yet, while the Christmas Story is the reason for the season if you will, it was an observation that my pastor made pertaining to this year that really stood out to me-

As my pastor named his sermon as well as opened with, in the carol we sang tonight “O Holy Night”, the line that stuck out to him especially this year was the line “the weary world rejoices”. Perhaps, it’s just me, but I’ve been weary this year. Weary of change, of sickness, of plans not working like I thought they would. I (and I would wager, many others), have looked for hope. Hope that would bring satisfaction. But like my pastor so aptly quoted during his sermon, C.S Lewis said

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Made for another world. One could argue that Lewis just made a clever turn of phrase. However, my “thrill of hope” as the carol says, comes from the acknowledgment that I was made for another world. A world in which lack of satisfaction will never be an issue. Weariness will not prevail.

Weariness and satisfaction (or lack of satisfaction depending on the day) has been part of my Christmas season this year, though not particularly because of the pandemic. Feasibly the change in my perception of the Christmas Season is due to the fact that I am getting older, and assuredly not a child anymore (though I did get handed crayons and a kids menu recently, NO I AM NOT JOKING!). Christmas shopping, job hunting, booking a flight down to Texas to see my flatmates in January, gingerbread house making, have all brought a bit of weariness and satisfaction to my Christmas season. Nevertheless, I truly believe that the New Years will bring a new perspective for me and others. With that final sentiment, I bid you a goodnight, and again wish you a Merry Christmas Eve/Merry Christmas!

Per usual here are some pictures,

Cheers!