It’s the most wonderful time of the year…right? If you’re like me, there is a little part of you secretly longing for December 26th. Don’t get me wrong; I relish the Christmas spirit! But I started seeing Christmas items for sale seven weeks ago. And it makes me wonder how we’ve gotten so far off course.

Enter Jesus in today’s Gospel. Look at the way he spends his time: healing people in need and encouraging them to praise God for this holy encounter. Then, moved by compassion for the people, he ensures they have the nourishment they need. In the face of perceived scarcity, Jesus responds with a spirit of abundance, leading to more than enough for everyone.

This is the One who entered into the messiness of humanity as Emmanuel. How can we let go of the anxiety of holiday consumerism and make space for God with us?

—Katie Davis is a former member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and JVC Magis currently working as a Chaplain and Religious Studies teacher at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago.  She serves on the Advisory Board for Jesuit Connections in Chicago and the Chicago Women’s Team for the Ignatian Spirituality Project.

 

 

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