COURAGE

Recently I reread my advent blog from last year, and perhaps, not surprisingly, the situations we are living in, and attempting to live with, are virtually unchanged. However even as I write I am convinced that we are to some degree in a worse situation, and thousands are struggling to maintain their mental health.

A serious problem with underground behavior, such as terrorism is the hidden and unknown parts of it for when we know something we are more equipped. to deal with it. The pandemic is like living with terrorism and being constantly on guard. Furthermore, just when we think we have the upper hand like with the vaccines we end up faced with the terrorist’s new tactics [mutations]

Advent is about waiting with expectation and hope for the coming of a messiah who will be the saviour. In terms of the virus, we are in need of a saviour and are waiting and working with courage but doesn’t our courage falter and leak from our very faucets as ‘the creature’ rises up again, and again. In a way, our courage has to be fuelled by our resilience and absolute determination to never give in.

Advent is also about ‘new birth’ and it’s time to birth new approaches to courage and hope in our current circumstances. I’m quite sure if I could hear you I’d get the brunt of your rage and frustration and probably be accused of being a real silly ass but I’m calling to you to summon up your courage and open your mind to new approaches so we can with courage and hope face the immediate and ongoing future.

Courage is often kick-started and maintained by being in the presence of an encouraging other, whether on phone, walking at a distance, online or some other device it is possible to be present in an encouraging, hopeful, and compassionate way.

In the Advent story, Mary and Joseph were faced with being treated as outcasts of their community and society because of their cultural backgrounds, but they faced up to the task with courage, this is not a sermon, and I,m aware that for many people it will be very difficult again this Christmas as you may have been bereaved during the year, or it feels like bereavement already not to have your family with you in a safe way at Christmas. You long for your grandchildren and wonder will you ever see them again?

As older persons, we need to stand firm and hold the younger members of the population with our courage and determination, and even our imagination, to have Christmas with its true meaning and in a new way, not a mutation, but a new birthing of the celebrations.

Recently, whilst watching the chef’s programs for Christmas I noticed how they were making changes in the traditional foods, sometimes bringing in new things, and at other times changing them with new flavors the turkey usually remained but the surroundings on the table were subtly changed.

Let’s take Mary and Joseph’s example re courage and keep Christmas in our hearts and give it new flavors and meaning in love for our families and friends.

I’m calling all you parents and grandchildren and other seniors to support and stand for our families and loved ones to have Christmas and be innovative with new flavors.

TAKE A STAND!