A Word of Hope

The election of Barack Obama has inspired hope that things can change for the better. It inspires in me a hope that people are hungering for such change in more than just politics. As I near my fifty-ninth year on the planet, I have observed a steady erosion of the spirit of Christmas by capitalism, consumerism and greed. There has always been the hope that the true meaning of Christmas might be recaptured, and there may be no better time than when the people have chosen their President because of the promise for change. Maybe, just maybe, this Christmas can be more about giving than receiving, more about wanting genuine love than materialistic goods. The team of eleven that I work with has opted to donate to charity this year in lieu of the traditional gift exchange, a choice in keeping with the spirit of Redefine Christmas. My hope is more real than it has been in years that, just as we decided it was time for real change in Washington, D.C., we are ready to grow in a faith based not on belief but experience. Scripture, tradition and reason are not the end, but the means to a fuller, richer experience of the relationship with our Creator to which we are invited by Immanuel: God with us.