2012 has been quite the year, and probably a very difficult one. Everywhere I turned this year someone was either dealing personal, political or natural disaster that has challenged each and everyone of us. I have been following events in Egypt in the past year in the midst of living through a major hurricane and a school shooting not too far away from where I live. In addition I have had a share of challenges this year and I think many share my sentiment that we just want this year over.
I liken this year to living in a fire. Being challenged, put down, disappointed, stressed and my limited view does not see an end in sight. It wasn't until last night at church while I was praying along with the rest of the congregation the hymn of the Three Saintly Youth. They were thrown into the fire--literally. The story of these Three Saintly Youth can be found in Daniel Chapter 3 where basically they refused to worship a golden image only recognizing the living God. As a result the King ordered them into a fiery furnace and the miracle happened where they survived with an extra person with them--the Son of God...Emmanuel meaning God is with us.
Perhaps this is the difference of survival between myself and these 3 Youth. Somehow when things got so bad and faced death, they didn't flinch and accepted the fate of death as a sacrifice to worship The Lord. I often wonder how many times I have been pushed and been faced with awful circumstances--I'm not accepting and often go through a whole frenzy to find a solution instead of the One that is standing right there.
During the disasters of Sandy and the recent school shooting in Newtown, many have asked 'where is God?' It didn't dawn on me until I was chanting the hymn last night that God is present and is with us. The outcome of the three youth being saved and how it gave glory to God shows how the fire was the only way for many to look to Him. I've seen this in the days and weeks after the most recent tragedies--somehow we have returned to the way God intended us to be--in His image and likeness--by serving the community and to look outside our own fires to put out others. How many prayer vigils happened after Newtown? The outpouring of local assistance after Sandy with everyone pitching in with whatever they have to help those who lost literally everything.
It's the fires that help us to realize that there is an external power to give us comfort, but we won't know this until we are connected to the Power on a daily basis. This is what gave Joseph and St Paul the ability to endure prison joyfully knowing that they weren't alone. The display of the Son of Man in the fiery furnace is a clear display that we are not alone during our own fires and tribulations...somehow God is with us.
That is the Christmas message of this year--Emmanuel God is with us. He came to this world, not as a celebrity in a clean hospital, but in a manger. He came in circumstances where His birth was less than glamorous....but He came and the heavens rejoiced and shared our own pains as a human and went through His own fire on the cross. We must live daily knowing He is with us, even if we don't feel it. Daily recognition that God is with us on ordinary days will help us get through those fiery circumstances like the Three Saintly Youth.
