Travelling On

The repacking of the Christmas decorations has begun. I have enjoyed the simplicity of this particular Christmas and I found the daily practice of lighting a candle at my small terra cotta creche reassuring in the onslaught of the ever present cacophony of news, soundbites, and tweets. I was slightly bothered because the small creche has no shepherds, camels, or angels, so I added a picture of some herders with their camels, a wooden horse and a giraffe that usually reside on on my bookcase, and a picture of an angel. I particularly liked the gentle giraffe because it was tall enough to peer over a corner of the stable. Silly? Of course, but I loved the composition, and the story felt to be my own.     

Yesterday I lit the candle at my creche for the last time. The giraffe and horse are back on my bookcase. One would never know that for awhile   they joined the Magi and shepherds in the ongoing journey of following stars and dreams. Whether we travel dressed in majestic robes, humble garments, or we don the markings of a giraffe, let us remember that we, too, are always being called further on. Esther de Waal describes this ongoing journey as living the Benedictine vow  of "conversatio morum," the willingness to be in "continual, on-going conversation, being open to the new, saying yes to following Christ's call to discipleship wherever that may lead."  We will have moments of rest, but eventually it will be time to rise and continue. Let us not be fooled by noisy Herods who always seem to be trying to lead us astray. Let us go in a different direction, even in those times when the journey becomes difficult. We can be confident because we do not travel alone. This is the lesson of Christmas. It is the journey of the heart that refuses to be safely tucked away in the attic, but rather to be lived everyday. Let us say yes to the invitation, and go.     

  

 

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.  

Matthew 1:12

Seeking God, The Way of St. Benedict, Esther de Waal, The Liturgical Press, 2001, page 13.