Star
Author: Joan Harman
December 16, 2021
I care not whether the
Star in the East was a comet or a Supernova, but I am intrigued by the
Nostradamus of the ancient world who made predictions like this at a time when
just about everyone was probably watching the heavens every night.......
Did this person have
access to court and legal documents which included astrological
information?
Did this person
contain within herself the ancient knowledge that had been passed with the
inheritability of Shaman?
It doesn't interest me
if every little detail in OUR Christmas story is true.
What I want to know,
"Where is the truth in this story?"
I've attended workshops on memoir writing and
written my own memoir in enough different ways to understand that when a writer
doesn't remember every little detail it is still absolutely authentic to make
the details fit the cultural understandings, the ways of thinking, and the
concrete realities of life at the time of the happenings.
It's impossible not to
realize the dangers of Joseph and Mary's situation, But if that is so, this quote
from Oriah Mountain Dreamer's poem, INVITATION, is part of the answer for me,
"I want to know
if you can get up after a night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the
bone--and do what needs to be done--for the children."
It interests me that
Zachariah's question to the angel results in having his mouth shut until the
birth of the promised child, but Mary's question to the angel results in an
angelic explanation that satisfies her enough to respond, "Let it be with
me as you say."
What I think about is
why Zacharias was not allowed to talk about what he was going to do and what
the results would be?
What I think about is
why Mary 's response required receiving and not doing anything herself, But again, she did not say anything that we know of until Elizabeth
corroborates the truth of Mary's experience.
What interests me is
that talking was not enough to express Mary's truth. She sang!
It matters to me that
Angels From the Realms of Glory is one of my favorite Christmas carols, and it
has very interesting verses after the first.
It matters to me that
this Advent season my favorite new read is from a local doctor's memoir of a
difficult office visit with a patient with dementia. The Patient looks straight through and past
the doctor, does not respond to anything, refuses to stand to be checked for
balance and strength, but only keeps singing songs of her own choice. In desperation, doctor joins in on O Holy
Night, and then YES! Patient gives eye
contact and a sparkling smile while everyone in the office gradually joins in
the worshipful song.
It doesn't matter to
me if the angelic chorus over the shepherds gathered ALL the heavenly residents.
What does matter to me
is what Luke records of the words to the praising song.
Peace and Good Will on
Earth being such glorious blessings
I ask, “What is taking
so long for us to accept this?
And then I hear a
whole conglomeration of voices from my past, “We just have to be patient and
wait." The waiting name is ADVENT.
Blessings,
Joan K. Harman <><<><
joanharmank@gmail.com
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