Faith leaders on meaningful words of the season
The holidays are marked by brightly colored lights, get-togethers, gift-giving and welcome breaks from school and work.
But the season is also defined by words, in carols learned in childhood and sung by heart, in Christmas card verses, and in the good wishes exchanged among friends, family and strangers.
We asked local faith leaders to give us certain words that describe the season and are meaningful for them, and that they pass on to their congregations at this special time of the year.
AND DWELT AMONG US
Father Peter DeSanctis, pastor, Our Lady of the Isle
Father DeSanctis was a grammar schoolboy at home on Shelter Island one Christmas season, looking at the Nativity scene built by his uncle Nicholas placed near the tree, when he connected the words of the Evangelist John to the essential meaning of Christmas.
The beautifully rendered wooden model his uncle had made of the stable where Joseph and Mary had to stay when traveling because there was no room in an inn for them, and where Mary gave birth surrounded by the domestic farm animals, was a revelation to the young Peter.
“The words that have always defined Christmas for me since that day,” Father DeSanctis said, “is from John 1:14: ‘And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.’ The Word — capital ‘W,’ is Jesus. John is telling us that God is all powerful eternal love, and became human flesh and blood to show us the way to learn and live, through love.”
As he looked at the humble scene of Mary and Joseph that Christmas long ago, and their newborn baby laid in a manger, which was used to hold feed for the animals, the little boy saw, in his uncle’s creation, a family in humble surroundings, and the human story of Christianity became suddenly real and meaningful.
WE MUST NEVER LOSE HOPE
Rabbi Berel Lerman, Director, Center For Jewish Life of NY, Chabad, Sag Harbor
Rabbi Lerman wrote:
Chanukah commemorates the remarkable victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greeks, who persecuted the Jewish people in the Land of Israel 2,163 years ago. Against all odds, the Jewish people overcame the powerful Syrian Greek empire, reclaiming their freedom to practice their faith and way of life.
When they re-dedicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the holiest site in the Jewish faith, they lit the Menorah. Though there was only enough oil to burn for one day, it miraculously lasted for eight days until new oil could be prepared.
The message of Chanukah is profound: we must never lose hope. Even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, perseverance and faith in a Higher power can lead to extraordinary outcomes. The Menorah also inspires us to bring more light into the world. Through acts of goodness, kindness, love, and compassion, each of us has the power to shine brightly. As we spread light, darkness diminishes and is ultimately dispelled.
I encourage everyone to light a Menorah this Chanukah. As we kindle the flames, let us reflect on how we can do more Mitzvot and make the world a better place.
LOVE CAME DOWN
Reverend Stephen Adkison, Pastor, Shelter Island Presbyterian Church
Reverend Adkison wrote: Christina Rossetti, in her 1885 poem entitled “Love Came Down at Christmas,” declares that love was born at Christmas.
Maybe she was inspired by John 3:16 which proclaims: “For God so loved the world that God gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”
While not a traditional Christmas verse, John 3:16 nevertheless reminds us that “love came down” from a generously giving and loving God in the form of the Christ child, born in a manger in Bethlehem.
Throughout his life, Jesus showed the world what selfless, unconditional love looks and acts like by graciously extending it to all, including the poor, the oppressed, the outcast, and the marginalized.
And just as God, who is Love (John 4:8), created the Christ, so has God created all of humanity in God’s “image and likeness,” (Genesis 1:26-27). We are all Children of God, and we too at our very core are incarnations of the love of God in the world. Love is who we really are, and it is our foundation and our destiny.
All too often we forget that, but Christmas is a reminder that we are to acknowledge this Divine Love, to receive it, and to go forth every day giving it away. May it be so on Shelter Island and everywhere around the world.
SIMPLE JOY AND OPENNESS
Very Rev. Can. Charles McCarron, Rector, St. Mary’s, Shelter Island
Father McCarron wrote:
As I reflect on my childhood Christmases in the Bronx, I am filled with nostalgia for the vibrant holiday spirit that enveloped my neighborhood. The Christmas shops in Kresge’s, W.T. Grant’s and Woolworth’s on Fordham Road were a veritable wonderland. Tables overflowing with wreaths, twinkling lights, and the charming paper mâché nativity figures, “Made in Japan,” captured my imagination. These figures, once sold for just a quarter, now fetch a small fortune on eBay, a testament to the enduring magic they can still hold for nostalgic baby-boomers like me.
Those early Christmases instilled in me a sense of wonder and openness, a simple joy that seemed to permeate every corner of my neighborhood. I remember the excitement of exploring the displays, the warmth of community gatherings, the visits to Santa and the laughter shared with family and friends.
Yet, as life unfolded, I found that this sense of joy wasn’t always present. The complexities of adulthood sometimes dimmed that spark. However, each Christmas season brings a renewed opportunity to reconnect with that childlike wonder. I hold onto the hope that, amidst the hustle and bustle, the screens, texts and emails, I can rediscover that simple joy and openness, allowing the spirit of the season to reignite the magic within me once more.
