THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST, STAVRONIKITA MONASTERY, MT. ATHOS
By John Kass
December 24, 2022
For all the children who should be loved always, but especially on this night, with our arms wrapped around them and a long goodnight kiss on the temple, a kiss more precious than anything wrapped in a box.
For every parent who stands quietly in the darkened doorways of the bedrooms, watching those small, sleeping shapes.
For all the babies who aren’t loved enough and grow up with a hard crust around their hearts because there was no one near to plant those kisses and give those hugs. And for every couple so full of love, that they adopt a child and save that life.
And for every young mother who has given her baby up for adoption, to save that life growing inside of her. For all those who couldn’t have children of their own. For those who’ve lost their children. For all who’ve lost their moms and dads. For the moms and dads who give everything to keep their family close.
For those crazy uncles who always drink too much tonight, then sneak outside to put on the red suit in the driveway, hopping on one leg, falling in the snow, laughing out there in the cold, before coming back in to surprise the kids.
For those wise aunts who make sure that coffee is strong and black, to help those crazy uncles sober up.
And for everyone in every choir in the world. They’ve been practicing for weeks in cold, empty churches. And so tonight is their night too, their beautiful voices lifting us up with song, inviting us to humble ourselves as we ask for help in scraping away any bitterness that has grown like a hard bark around our hearts.
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