The Stillness of Being: Reimagining the Christmas Story for Today
The Stillness of Being: Reimagining the Christmas Story for Today
What if we reimagined the Christmas story as a timeless call to awaken the divine within ourselves rather than a historical event we nostalgically commemorate? As John Shelby Spong suggests in his lecture ‘Jesus for the Non-Religious,’ perhaps we can redefine God not as a distant deity but as a presence at the very heart of life. Spong invites us to see God as the source of life and love, inspiring us to live fully and love wastefully, just as the Christmas narrative calls us to embody these divine qualities within ourselves. What if the promise of hope wasn’t about waiting for a savior to rescue us but about recognizing the Christ consciousness already present in each of us, empowering us to bring change here and now?
The Myth as Metaphor
The Christmas story is rich with symbolism that transcends its historical and literal interpretations. Like all great myths, it points us to deeper truths. The birth of Jesus can be understood as the birth of divine potential within every human being. It’s a reminder that greatness often begins in humility and obscurity—in a manger, not a palace.
Consider the elements of the story:
The Star: A symbol of inner guidance, the light that leads us to truth and purpose.
The Shepherds and Wise Men: Representing the diversity of humanity, from the humble to the learned, all drawn to the divine spark.
The Manger: A testament to simplicity, reminding us that the most profound transformations often arise from the simplest beginnings.
By embracing these symbols, we move beyond debates over virgin births and talking donkeys to uncover the story’s universal truths: hope, renewal, and the call to embody love. As John Shelby Spong suggests, if God is the source of life and love, then these truths remind us that living fully and loving wastefully are the ways we truly worship and embody the divine.
Christ-Consciousness: A Present Reality
The traditional Christian narrative often places salvation in the hands of a distant savior or a future event. But what if the Christ—the embodiment of unconditional love, compassion, and unity—is not something external to us but a state of being we can access? Many mystical traditions within and beyond Christianity echo this idea: that the divine dwells within each of us, waiting to be awakened.
The message of Christmas, then, is not about waiting for Jesus to return and fix everything. It is about embodying the Christ consciousness by loving wastefully, as John Shelby Spong so vividly describes in his metaphor of an old sink overflowing with water. This love spills into every crack and cranny, asking no questions of worthiness, and reflects the active, transformative power of Christ consciousness in our lives. It’s about realizing that the qualities of Christ consciousness are here now, ready to be birthed in our own lives. Every act of compassion, every choice for love over fear, every moment of forgiveness is a step toward manifesting this consciousness.
Creating a New Narrative
To make the Christmas story relevant for today, we need to shift the focus from passive celebration to active participation. Here are three ways to reframe the narrative:
1. Birth the Divine Within
Christmas can be a time to reflect on how we can awaken and embody the Christ consciousness in our own lives. Ask yourself:
What qualities of love, compassion, and peace can I cultivate?
What “light” can I bring to the darkness in my life or the lives of others?
By seeing the birth of Jesus as a metaphor for the birth of our highest selves, we make the story deeply personal and transformative.
2. Shift from Waiting to Acting
The traditional narrative often portrays humanity as powerless, waiting for divine intervention. But the real power lies in recognizing that we are co-creators of our reality. What if we saw Christmas as a call to action?
In our families, we can model forgiveness and generosity.
In our communities, we can take tangible steps to address injustice or support those in need.
Globally, we can advocate for peace and sustainability, knowing that small actions ripple outward.
3. Embrace the Universal Themes
The beauty of the Christmas story lies in its universal appeal. Its themes of hope, renewal, and light overcoming darkness resonate across cultures and religions. By focusing on these themes, we can create a narrative that unites rather than divides.
For example:
The story of the star can inspire us to follow our inner guidance.
The message of peace on earth can motivate us to resolve conflicts in our relationships and communities.
Practical Ways to Live the New Narrative
Here are some simple ways to bring this reimagined story to life, inspired by John Shelby Spong's call to 'live fully' and 'love wastefully,' principles that remind us to approach life and love with abundance and courage:
1. Personal Reflection
Spend time journaling about what it means to birth Christ-consciousness in your life.
Create a daily practice of gratitude, focusing on the “light” in your life.
2. Family Traditions
Encourage family discussions about the deeper meanings of Christmas. What does hope mean to each of you? How can you bring peace into your home?
Create rituals that emphasize giving, such as volunteering together or supporting a cause.
3. Community Engagement
Organize events that bring people together in the spirit of love and generosity, such as community meals or fundraisers for local charities.
Advocate for initiatives that address systemic issues like poverty and inequality.
A New Kind of Hope
The hope of Christmas is not about waiting for a savior to descend from the heavens but about realizing that the power to create a better world lies within us. As John Shelby Spong beautifully describes, "If God is the source of love, as I believe God is, then the only way you can worship God is by loving. Not by being right, but by loving. By loving wastefully." This overflowing love—like water spilling from an old sink, filling every crack and cranny without discrimination—captures the essence of what it means to embody the transformative power of Christ-consciousness. It’s about waking up to our potential as bearers of love, light, and transformation. This is the stillness of being—the quiet recognition that within us lies the capacity to heal, to grow, and to bring hope into the world.
As we move beyond the festivities of Christmas Day, let us carry this new narrative forward. Let us birth the divine within ourselves, act with intention, and inspire others to do the same. This is how the Christmas story becomes not just a tale of the past but a living, breathing reality that shapes our present and our future.
May we all find the stillness of being this season and beyond, and may we use it to light the way for ourselves and others.
Let us then also move into the new year with a new Christ narrative, and let this new year be about living fully, loving wastefully, and be all that you can be...
With wasteful love...
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