Kelly Hickman, Director of Development for Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC)
Northwest, reflects on the readings for the Memorial of Saint Ambrose..
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****Memorial of Saint Ambrose****
Today's Lectionary Readings
In our first reading from Isaiah, I can't ignore the stark reality of
the ongoing violence in the Holy Land, the very place referred to as the
Land of Judah - encompassing both Israel and Palestine. The prophetic
song portrays a protected city held in peace, emphasizing the Lord's
power in humbling the lofty, causing them to crumble and be leveled with
dust. The ongoing war is like a distortion of this vision of God's
justice - rather than bringing down those in high places, people are
being massacred.Â
As a result of this war, Christmas is canceled in Bethlehem.Â
How is it that the birthplace of Christ Jesus won't be celebrating the
Son of God's incarnate entrance into human history?
As I sit with this question, I am reminded of the people in my own
neighborhood here in Seattle, WA, in the United States, for whom perhaps
Christmas is also canceled. Perhaps the violence canceling Christmas is
that of addiction, poverty, food insecurity, a broken and unjust
immigration system, domestic and sexual abuse, police killings, modern
slavery in the form of human trafficking, a biased and discriminatory
criminal justice system, gun violence, mental illness, exclusion,
isolation, loneliness. So much violence can seemingly take the light of
Christ out of Christmas.Â
But then the psalmist reminds us that, "The Lord is God, and he has
given us Light." Receiving God's light is not a passive act but a
call to action - to shine, be, and give light. The act of canceling
Christmas in Bethlehem is one of bold solidarity with neighbors
experiencing the violence of the war.Â
As I navigate this sacred season, I want to reflect on the actions I can
take to shine a light on injustice, to maintain faith in the face of a
suffering world, and to cultivate peace on personal, interpersonal, and
collective levels. I invite you to join me, and the Holy Spirit, in
co-creating peace and justice in our communities and in our world.Â
**Kelly Hickman serves as the Director of Development for Jesuit
Volunteer Corps (JVC) Northwest and President of the Conference of St.
Vincent de Paul at St. Edward Parish in Seattle, WA, where she lives.**
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