Advent Caring

I got a call this morning that a wonderful member of the church had passed away.  She had been ill for some time and her death was not unexpected, but it still wasn’t the exact timing that any of us had expected.  It is hard news for me and for our church family, even as we continue our Advent journey and prepare to celebrate the birth of the Savior. 

My heart always goes out to all of those who are grieving and hurting regardless of the time of year, but especially around the holidays.   Everyone around the grieving person is busy decorating, planning, shopping, and preparing to celebrate, but the person grieving often just wants it all over.  They don’t want to celebrate, to go to a party, and Christmas joy is nowhere to be found, and who can blame them!  For someone who has just lost their spouse, parent, child, or anyone really close to them, the holidays make the loss of that person feel even more real.  Holidays are full of memories and those memories and make it harder for someone who is hurting.  Thinking about how you would call them at Christmas, or hearing their favorite Christmas song, seeing their favorite decoration, or eating their favorite Christmas food can all be painful reminders that they are no longer with us. 

My mother-in-law passed away on December 26, 2012, and I can testify that Christmas will never be the same.  Every Christmas will always be a reminder of sitting in her room knowing we had only hours left with her, and then watching the funeral home wheel her body down the hall on the day after Christmas.  It will also be filled with memories of spending Christmas with my own father and father-in-law, who also both passed away within the last few years.  Knowing this, I still can’t even begin to imagine what the first Christmas without a spouse would be like.

Christmas is a wonderful time of joy, happiness, family, and celebrating the birth of the Messiah, and it should be!  But we should not forget those who may be grieving or hurting.  Christmas provides a wonderful opportunity to reach out to those in need of Christ’s love and tender care.  No one should ever have to face the holidays alone.  As the body of Christ we can, and should, reach out showing God’s care and kindness for us whenever we can.  We are called to share the joy of Christ, and be the hands and feet of Christ to our broken world.  This Christmas, take a few moments to pray for someone you know who is grieving.  Send them a card or give them a call to let them know you are thinking about them.  Make them a plate of cookies or invite them over for dinner.  Let them know that even though they are grieving, they are not alone.  That they are surrounded by a family of faith who is there to help them, cry with them, comfort them, and share the love and grace of Christ with them.

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”  1 Peter 3:8

God bless, Rev. Liz Arakelian, www.LivingHopeEC.org