First Thoughts: Finally the big day is here -- the planned-for, sought-for, bought-for climax to all our Advent preparations. There might be a hundred things happening in this moment: gifts are waiting to be opened, special church services attended, family recipes cooking in the oven. It's so tempting to just get lost in the flurry of activity, but the example Mary gives us in this passage offers another option. Having just given birth to a baby, she now encounters some strange shepherds who declare that a heavenly host has announced this child's divinity. In the midst of all this revelation, she does something very wise. She grows quiet. She takes these memories and holds them in her heart where she can reflect on them, pray with them, and allow them to penetrate her soul. She doesn't try to understand it all right away or take any immediate action. She allows herself to be seasoned by this experience. What would it be like for us to do the same, to take our Christmas experience step by step pondering it in our hearts? We might do this through journaling, jotting down significant moments as they happen, and securing them in our mind so we can come back to them again and truly savor them. We might try spending time with a trusted friend, asking them to help us walk through the events prayerfully, so we can grow in our gratitude for the preciousness of this time. Or perhaps we might practice an Examen, simply reviewing the day prayerfully, looking for the lessons, and enjoying the blessings. The important thing is for us to realize that each moment is a gift, like a precious jewel that needs to be held and examined over and over again for us to fully appreciate it. In this way the blessings of Christmas can last long after the decorations have been put away and the carols have grown quiet. In this way we can be changed forever.
Teaching on Your Own: (holds album) Hey guys, see what I have here? It's my family Christmas album. (flips through) See? There are pictures here from every Christmas since I was a baby. Every year my family gathers around and we look at these pictures. We tell the old stories about all these past Christmases. Then we make sure to take new pictures for this year's Christmas. You know, Christmas is such a busy time that it would be easy for it all to go by in a big blur so we miss it all. But sitting down together, looking at pictures, taking new pictures -- that's a great way to keep those memories alive. It reminds me of Mary, Jesus' mother. There was a lot going on when Jesus was born. First of all, just having a baby is a big deal. But she and Joseph had to travel a long way before the baby was born, they weren't even able to stay in a regular room, and after the baby was born some shepherds showed up and told them that a huge group of angels said the baby was special and holy. As I said, lots of stuff going on. But you know what the Bible tells us about Mary? In the middle of all this stuff, Mary pondered all these things in her heart. Do you know what that means? It's sort of like my photo albums. Mary took all these different events and kept them in her heart so she could remember them, pray about them, and really appreciate what it all meant. It's almost like her heart was a little treasure box, and she was taking all these jewels from her life and putting them there. And that's what I want to do this Christmas too -- keep all my Christmas treasure right here (holds up photo album) and here (points to heart)! How about you?
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 holds photo album)
Leader 1: What do you have there, (name)?
Leader 2: It's my family Christmas album. (flips through) See? There are pictures here from every Christmas since I was a baby.
Leader 1: Wow. That's really neat.
Leader 2: Yeah. Every year my family gathers around and we look at these pictures. We tell the old stories about all these past Christmases. Then we make sure to take new pictures for this year's Christmas.
Leader 1: That's a really great idea. You know, Christmas is such a busy time that it would be easy for it all to go by in a big blur so we miss it all. But sitting down together, looking at pictures, taking new pictures -- that's a great way to keep those memories alive.
Leader 2: Yeah. It helps me appreciate all the good times we've had together.
Leader 1: It reminds me of Mary, Jesus' mother. There was a lot going on when Jesus was born. First of all, just having a baby is a big deal. But she and Joseph had to travel a long way before the baby was born, they weren't even able to stay in a regular room, and after the baby was born some shepherds showed up and told them that a huge group of angels said the baby was special and holy. As I said, lots of stuff going on.
Leader 2: I guess so.
Leader 1: But you know what the Bible tells us about Mary? In the middle of all this stuff, Mary pondered all these things in her heart.
Leader 2: What does that mean?
Leader 1: It's sort of like you looking through your photo albums. Mary took all these different events and kept them in her heart so she could remember them, pray about them, and really appreciate what it all meant. It's almost like her heart was a little treasure box, and she was taking all these jewels from her life and putting them there.
Leader 2: That's what I want to do too -- keep all my Christmas treasure right here (holds up photo album) and here (points to heart)!
Closing Prayer: Loving God, as we enter this busy Christmas season, help us to realize the treasure all around us: the friends, the joy, the story of the baby in the manger. Help us to be like Mary, to keep these treasures in our hearts, so they can bless us all year round. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Story: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, revisit the Christmas story. Ask the children to look at the scene from the perspective of Mary. What are some things they might ponder in their hearts if they were Mary? The safe journey with Joseph? The fact that they had a safe place to rest? Joy that the baby came into the world safely? Surprise about the message of the shepherds? Now invite the children to walk through the things that happen in their Christmas celebrations, those special treasures that they want to keep. Help them think through the things that really matter: gathering with family and friends, the joy of giving someone a special gift, singing carols together at church, the fun of playing in the snow. Talk about how it's important for us to hold onto these things, to talk about them, to pray about them; because the more we do the more alive they become for us.
For a craft idea, print out the templates. Make sure each child has enough jewels so they can write down some of their Christmas treasures on the back. (You might also provide glitter for the children to decorate further.) Use the heart as a tracing pattern and trace one heart for each child out of construction paper. Cut out a second heart for each child but cut it horizontally across the middle, so the top curves are gone. Then glue the half heart on the whole heart around the edges, creating a little pocket. When they're jewels are decorated and ready, they can place them in the heart pocket. Remind them as they do that they're being like Mary, storing these special memories in their hearts so they can keep them for later. Close with prayer.
