Jesus, our gate and guide - January 3, 2025
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 68; PM Psalm 72; Gen. 28:10-22; Heb. 11:13-22; John 10:7-17
Happy tenth day of Christmas! In our house, Christmas gifts still bear their twinkling sheen, though our kids are squabbling about how they are to go about sharing. We have finally cleared our refrigerator of leftovers. Sam has gone away for a couple of days on a writing retreat. The exact day feels blurry, as school doesn’t resume until Tuesday. There are many thank you notes to write…and amid sweeping the floor, answering emails, and running errands, I have fleeting thoughts of gratitude for the love and generosity of beloved family and friends.
How about you? Are you still feeling the joy of this Christmas season, for which we prepared during the four weeks of Advent? I hope so. It is more likely, however, that you may have some degree of feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or exhausted. Maybe you are feeling blue that the crescendo of Christmas is past, leaving you let down and lost. Perhaps you are grieving that someone close to you acted like an imperfect human being again, reopening spaces of pain and disappointment.
No matter where you and I find ourselves in the chaos of the world right now, today’s gospel (John 10:7-17) brings us back to center: Jesus tells us that he is the gate for the us, the sheep walking through life. When we focus on Jesus as our directional guide, we will receive salvation and find a space of spiritual nurture and fulfillment. As the gospel imparts, Jesus as the gate does not seek to trick or trap. Jesus as the gate offers freedom and hope. He is not into “gotcha” scenarios, but continues to preach the redeeming, unrelenting love of God: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Let us ponder the joy extended to us when we open our hearts to welcome Jesus. While it is easy to hold the image of the tender baby Christ lying upon the hay in our minds, today I invite you to meditate on Jesus the good and virtuous shepherd, leading us toward the protection and promise of green pastures. Let Jesus’ unwavering care and guidance mingle with Christmas joy as you wander through this day.
In the joy of the Son through Christmastide,
Katherine+
Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:
Jesus says that the sheep do not listen to the thieves and bandits that came before him. The sheep do listen to Jesus, though. What are you doing today to listen for the Good Shepherd calling for and guiding you? What distractions are in the way?