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The satisfying peace of Christmas
The house was full of relatives and friends celebrating Christmas loudly and happily. Needing a little escape from the noise, I ducked into my bedroom to be alone. In the calm of my room, I was a little surprised at how quietly happy I felt. I didn’t need to rush back out and join in the fun right away, but reveled in this moment of feeling God’s satisfying love and gentle presence right where I was.
Years later, I was alone for Christmas—away from family and friends while working at a resort. On Christmas Day, a few other staff members and I enjoyed some moments of laughter and a gift exchange of wrapped items from the vending machine. Yet, most of my time was spent being still, aware of the Christly affection I felt expressed by and for others.
To me, these instances were tangible examples of what Mary Baker Eddy refers to as “Truth’s appearing,” when writing about how she liked to observe Christmas. She said, “I love to observe Christmas in quietude, humility, benevolence, charity, letting good will towards man, eloquent silence, prayer, and praise express my conception of Truth’s appearing” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 262).
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