Society of St. John the Evangelist: Offer Companionship on the Tenth Day of Christmas
“As we approach the Christmas season, think of someone in your own life who is sad, or lonely, or hurting, and pledge to say or do something to help bring God’s healing love into their lives. Invite them for a coffee, or a meal. Pay them a visit. Phone them. Show them that they are not alone.”
—Br. Geoffrey Tristram, SSJE, in “Brother, Give Us a Word,” a daily email sent to friends and followers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, a religious order for men in the Episcopal/Anglican Church. www.ssje.org
The Brothers of St. John the Evangelist offer us a reminder of gifts we have to offer for Christmas. There are twelve days of Christmas between Christmas Day and the celebration of Epiphany on January 6. These should be slow- down times for us when we can re-center. Many children are still out of school, waiting for us to play with them. There is no better way to connect to the Christ born within us than to connect to the newly born Christ in children. The young have not yet developed any worldly masks of protection which can often hide Christ’s essence.
We all have neighbors and friends we have neglected because of our busyness. This is the time to offer to them our precious gift of time. Being present with them takes us to where the Christ child has been born and is waiting to see us as well.
Joanna . joannaseibert.com