Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The sure sign that Christmas was almost at an end was the appearance of red, heart-shaped candy boxes in the store. In the nature of our commercial world, they started appearing before Christmas was quite over, but it was definitely a sign that the change of holidays had begun. I suspect that even before Valentine’s Day is upon us, green decorations will be in the wings for St. Patrick’s Day.
This parade of seasons is a part of our flow of life. I am not sure fully what is behind this. There is, of course, that “seasonal” section of the store that always needs to be filled and so requires a series of these days. But I do not think this is entirely driven by our commercial world. There also seems to be a need for us always to have something to look forward to, even if it is just the same candy we always eat, but with a red wrapper.
While Valentine’s Day and Patrick’s Day bear the designation “saint,” there is really little spiritual in our celebration of these days. However, our need for something to look forward to may be better answered by looking to God. Ultimately, it is God’s grace and hope that gives us the ability to look forward. There is always something to celebrate and ways of enjoying it with others.
Look to God for hope and the expectations of things to come. Find in God the ability to celebrate without looking at the shelves of the store. Find a deeper
happiness with the flow of time that does not depend on a string of holidays with peculiar customs. Find a foundation that does not change every 6 weeks or so. Most of all. find a way to mark changes and newness that does not demand a different colored wrapper to our candy.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Martin H. Horn