Christmas Invites

Christmas Invites ——————————————————- Were His birthday in spring With all new blooms inviting, or With the winter solstice Bringing a new year, new beginnings… As the magi obeyed The invitation of the star, As the shepherds heard the heavens As the angels sang, “Alleluia!” Up Filling the sweeping winds Circling all the Earth… As our thoughts of infant Jesus, Swaddled in his manger — against the pricking hay — Inspire us, century after century, To imagine…yes, to feel Ourselves transposed, present, Standing there In the stark chill of that stable, Hearing our own short breaths, By the jostling of the sheep and the blessed donkey… We dare shuffle closer With a pulled desire To see With our gift of awe, by Witnessing Divine evidence — Of this birth foretold. More than our meditating heights — As our senses are also extended And our vision widened — To perceive even the auras Presenting those to be loved Before us. Before us… With a tingle rushing along Our spines, our bodies, our minds, and souls, aligned in Being, Have gone diving with God Through the two-thousand years Of human time, To know what could feel like A truly experiential reception To our wondering path to a Presence through Advent to This blue midnight, Christmas Eve Before the stable, Where the wind blows strongest; We kneel, bowing our heads Upon the instant Of Jesus waking With a hunger-cry. ————————————————————————- (c) sally young Eslinger 12/24/21 All Glory to God!