Let's Keep Christ in Christmas

A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas

Grandsons Dean & Logan Muniz, with their artwork
for the "Keep Christ in Christmas" poster contest,
St. Mary's School, Pompton Lakes, NJ



That's one way to keep Christ in Christmas.
Another way is to write or read a poem
like the one that follows:

WHAT WAS GOD DOING WHEN HIS SON WAS BORN?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven

when He sent the angel

to the virgin to tell her

about overshadowing

and childbirth

and salvation for the world?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven

when in great anguish

Joseph didn’t believe his betrothed

and was about to call off their union

until in a dream he realized

they were a part

of an awesome and holy thing?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven

when heavy with child

Mary traveled with Joseph

by donkey in the dust and hills

clip-clopping to Bethlehem

for the census

and once there,

there wasn’t a proper place

for them to stay

and time for the travail

had come?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven

when in a cool cave

with livestock and hay

and dung and dampness

Joseph helped his wife

bring forth the Child

with rugged, splintered hands?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven

when Joseph held the Babe

Heavenward, in thanksgiving

and blessing, then presented

Him to Mary,

who called Him, Jesus,

and nursed Him at her breast?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven

when Mary wrapped Jesus

in swaddling cloths

and placed Him in fresh hay

her husband prepared

in the crude wooden trough?

What, oh what

was God thinking

looking down from His Heaven

upon His only begotten

born into the world

as the Least

and the Most?

What was God doing?

What was He thinking

high up in His Heaven?

Did He celebrate with the angels

before sending them Earthward

with their jubilant glorias

and triumphant trumpets?

Did His joy set ablaze

the beckoning star above Bethlehem?

Did He preen with pure pride

as shepherds and kings

came bearing their gifts?

Did He shudder an Almighty shudder

high up in His Heaven

at the movement toward fruition

of His cosmic plan?

Did He see flashes of thorns

and spikes and tree,

flashes of Blood

washing sin?

In the dark stillness,

as Joseph and Mary

fell into exhausted sleep,

did God reach quietly down,

chuck Jesus’ chin,

and whisper in His tiny ear,

“You have Your Father’s eyes,

My Son.”?

Maude Carolan

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

Mark your calendar: The next poetry event will take place Saturday, December 17th, 7 p.m., at the ANT Bookstore & Cafe, 345 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ. I will be joined by two poet/friends, Pastor EJ Emerson and Sister Jane Abeln, SMIC. Holiday music will be provided by Victoria Warne, Peter DiBella, Rikki Woods and Lidya Diaz. An open mic period will follow. Come, enjoy the festivities and the Christmas cookies, too! James Gwyn and Victoria Warne host this popular event on the third Saturday evening of each month.