Cross & Creche

Living at the Pace of Pain, Part 4

I probably should have made this entry before the other ones in my “Pain” series. But now that I am typing it I realize that it is the perfect entry for the Advent Season. At first it may not seem appropriate to talk about the crucifixion in December (don’t we reserve that talk for Easter?). However, we are going to talk about the crucifixion and the suffering Christ right in the midst of “the most wonderful time of the year.”

One of the things that occurred during my “sciatica bed” time this summer was a moment with the crucified Christ at the Cross. It was no more than 5-10 minutes. But, as a friend of mine put it, it was a defining moment for me.

I was lying in bed, with my legs over my wedge pillow (that was my usual location at that point). I remembered something that Mother Teresa had said about the sufferings of Christ. Her ministry to the poor and dying was really her taking part in His suffering.

I decided I wanted to enter into that idea and see if I could get in touch with the sufferings of Christ through my own pain.

I pictured myself at the foot of the cross as Jesus hung there dying. I let myself feel my own pain and realized that it was a tiny fraction of the pain He felt as he took on the sins of the world. My pain seemed intolerable to me, so I could not comprehend how He stayed on the cross and endured that ultimate pain. I could not imagine a love so powerful that it would choose such agony on my behalf. His love is unimaginable. I lingered briefly there and just let my mind be blown. Unimaginable, overwhelming love.

It is this potent love that I want for us to experience during this Advent season…especially if you are finding it hard to stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas. The busyness of this season can quickly choke out the holiness and the purity of celebrating “God with us.”

So as you ponder the birth of Jesus this month, may you also be overwhelmed by the love of Christ on the cross. If you are experiencing pain of any kind (emotional, relational, physical) let yourself stand at the foot of the cross for a few minutes and see what happens. Maybe you will find yourself able to experience more of the true meaning of Christmas this year. And maybe it will bring new meaning to the nativity scene in your heart.