“The Christmas tree is a symbol of love, not money. There’s a kind of glory to them when they’re all lit up that exceeds anything all the money in the world could buy.”
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I ran across this quote and knew that I just had to use it in today’s reflection. Why? Well, my house is presently near a forest! Our parish Knights of Columbus members are in the midst of their annual Christmas tree sale. For a month, I get to view the splendor of a Christmas tree farm and, even more, get to inhale the glorious smell of the pine sap and the burning branches from purchased trees that are trimmed before leaving the lot.
Our house’s Christmas tree is up and lit. The lights on it, as well as the view and smell of the tree sale, really buoys my spirit this time of year. There is nothing that can put me — and many others — in a Christmas spirit quicker than Christmas trees.
Did you ever stop to think that we are called to be just like those Christmas trees? Those inanimate objects sometimes speak more about the glory of Christmas than we do. And that is a shame. How can we let a tree announce the glory of Christ better than ourselves? We need to get our act together, kick ourselves into high gear, and begin to show the world the glory of God by the things that we say and do.
If we end up facing the Lord and He looks at us in all honesty and says, “A tree did a better job than you did in life”, well, I think that would just break our hearts, wouldn’t it? So, let’s not allow that to be the case.
You know what you need to do. Love. Encourage. Forgive. Model the faith. Be living witnesses, showing forth the glory of God through your holy life. Be like that tree. Be a symbol of love this day!
FAITH ACTION: Love, encourage, forgive, witness — wherever you are, whenever you can.