Just another Love Story?

This morning I was laying in bed in that post dream state; where you wonder whether you are dreaming or awake. I was thinking about the Christian Nativity Story. I know it well, having been a Christian for 57 years. As a child I was in Christmas pageants, we had a Creche at home and as my children came along they too participated in church events and put the Creche up each year. There are lots of wonderful stories around the Creche my children grew up with! Oh the one where my son put all his star wars figures in there along side of the animals, angels, Mary and Joseph and I even think he replaced baby Jesus with an Ewok! And the one where my daughter who was 6 at the time was showing the Creche to her good friend who was orthodox Jew and her friend said, "is that your God (pointing to baby Jesus)?" To which my daughter replied: "no, silly that is Jesus, we have the same God!" Oh and yes, then the New Year's Eve party my son's Senior Year of High School: I came upon his friends playing Chutes and Ladders (the kid's game) while using Mary, Joseph and a few of the animals for the game pieces! Yep lots and lots of Creche stories, but that is not what I was thinking about this morning!

This morning I was in that place between dreaming and waking and it was a very peaceful feeling. I was there as Mary was told she was pregnant; I went with her to see Elizabeth; I was there when she told Joseph and he hugged her and said that he loved her no matter what (yep...I know! not Biblical!). I traveled with them to Bethlehem and was watching as they were turned away from the Inn and went to stay in the Stable with the animals. I was present at the Birth of their Son and saw the Star appear in the Sky and the Angels sing to the Shepherds!

It is the Silence that has always been overwhelming to me when I imagine this night! And this morning, I was in a place of sheer peacefulness! As I laid there sharing this space with Mary, Joseph, Jesus and the animals I felt Divine Love! I never ever wanted to leave this place, but it was short lived!

It was short lived, not because I had to get up and get ready for work; no, it was short lived as I fast forwarded to what "the Church" did to this Love story! This story that is repeated over and over again as women give birth to the Divine! Yes, women bring into the world the Divine; which is each of us.

The noise became deafening as I saw Joseph have his dream to gather up his very young family and hi-tail it out of there as Herod had sent out a decree to kill all the boys in town hoping to get rid of the next King foretold by the wise men. And the power and control began and has not stopped!

Just another Love Story? It seems like that to me at times. Forget that Jesus probably wasn't born on December 25th and that the church picked this date to coincide with the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice and Hanukkah celebrations. Forget that there is still conflict as to "the reason for the season". Forget all of that and think about the real meaning of this Story and others like it.

It is a Story of Love. It is a Story of each of our entrances into the world; whether they be in the dirty home in the projects or the best hospital money can buy. It is a Story of the Divine's entrance into the world each time a baby is born! And it is the Love Story of Her continuing to have faith in Her children to Live out that Love.

It's a shame that the writers deemed it necessary that Mary be a Virgin in order to affirm that being the only way a woman could take part in Creation of the Divine! It's a shame that the Church turned this Divine Love Story into a story of Jesus having to die so that the Divine would still love us worthless children! It's a shame that this Love Story became Just another Love Story lost among the rubbish of the theme of power and control throughout the life of this Jesus of Nazareth; just to be pulled out in the month of December and then lost again for another 11 months.

For me this should be the most powerful message: not the Cross; but the Woman bearing the Divine into the world surrounded by all of creation! That is the miracle; that is the magic, that is the meaning of Life! For if we stay here in this peaceful silence, we will actually know that we are all Divine; we are all bearers of this Divine DNA that has as it's signature markings: LOVE!

But alas; it's just another love story and power and control knock on the stable door and unfortunately we welcome them in and set up their bedroom right next to ours and the drama begins and the Divine Love Story is forgotten.

It really doesn't matter what Love Story you tell at this time of year; whether it be the Winter Solstice, the Birth of Jesus, the Kwanzaa celebration, Hanukkah or your own; it is important that we speak and live Divine Love.

It is possible! How do I know? Well, let me tell you about the Goddess I do know! She is you and me and as such we have the DNA to live Divinely! It is our choice! 

  So, take time during the next few weeks and sit with Divine Love! Imagine it however you wish to imagine it, but sit and let Her fill you to overflowing and then open Your Heart and let Her Juices flow from you out into a world that has forgotten how to Live Love!

And most of all LOVE!

Blessed be!