Distance

“The God of our faith is not a distant being who contemplates indifferently the fate of men…” (Saint Josemaria, “Christ is Passing By”, 84).

The Nativity (Gari Melchers)

This year – for the very first time since I have been married, my family and I have gone away at Christmas time.  Generally, though we have gone on a few holidays around New Year’s, we have never ever taken a holiday away from our extended families at Christmas time.

The feeling is a strange one.

All of the usual traditions are sort of put on hold.  The special foods that we cook and the shopping that we do.  The conversations around the rituals of Christmas that take place among the family are all different this year.  And I have been reflecting on that today.

This is not to say that I regret this little excursion that we are undertaking this year.  With the timing of everything with work and studies and the busyness of family life, we were sort of left with no other alternative than to take a holiday at Christmas time this year.  However, it certainly feels different.  When I was twenty years old, four of my sisters and I travelled through Europe at around the same time of year.  And though the five of us were together, we certainly missed home and missed the rest of our family.

I feel the same sort of thing now…

I miss home a little – not to say that we are not having a lovely time – but home is nice.  And while reflecting on this I have come to realise how lucky I am in my God.  For God is no distant Being…  Not only did He come to Earth in Human Form to SAVE ME, but the whole Earth – all of creation – is a product of His immense power!

Saint Josemaria writes in “Christ is Passing By” at 84, “The God of our faith is not a distant being who contemplates indifferently the fate of men – their desires, their struggles, their sufferings. He is a Father who loves his children so much that he sends the Word, the Second Person of the most Blessed Trinity, so that by taking on the nature of man he may die to redeem us. He is the loving Father who now leads us gently to himself, through the action of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts.”

And in that COMMUNION with Christ, I am connected to God.  And in that connection to God, I am connected to all souls who are saved or will be saved, into eternity and ad infinitum, which means I am connected to HOME…

And today – on the day before the Birth of Christ – I am reminded that in everything, God brings me in.  And He does so in a way that makes me feel special and loved and important, even me – miserable soul that I am.  And when I stop and think about that today, I am a little less homesick for my Earthly home and a little more contented in reflecting upon my eternal home…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.