HOLY HOMEWORK

Embracing Our Christmas Ghosts

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From the start of his classic tale, “A Christmas Carol,” Dickens insists that Jacob Marley is dead. Otherwise nothing wonderful would come of his story. At the heart of this wonder are four ghosts: Marley himself and the three Christmas spirits: Past, Present and Future. As we all know, Marley sends these three specters to his miserly business partner, Scrooge, to help him see the error of his selfish ways. But Ebenezer wants no part of this spiritual intervention. He even tries to reduce their impact by asking if all three can visit at the same time rather than disturbing his precious sleep at different hours during the night.

Like this tired curmudgeon, we too can close our eyes against the plight of our neighbors who are in need. We can curl up cozily with the stingy Scrooge inside us, echoing the same solutions he bellowed long ago: Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? Are there no laws? Are there no government programs?

This December, instead of silencing our internal, ethical voices, perhaps we can carry them to a religious service just as Bob Cratchit carried Tiny Tim to church on his shoulders. Unembarrassed by his disabled appearance, the crippled child believed it might be pleasant for fellow worshippers to remember upon Christmas Day, who made lame beggars walk and blind people see. When we look at Christ in the manger will we remember to open our hearts and hands to the poor?

Our worst temptation may be to utter the same excuse that the entrenched Ebenezer whined: I'm too old to change and beyond hope. Go and redeem some younger creature…

In the long run, such apathy toward evil may be more dangerous to the human spirit than inactive complaining. At least people who grumble about injustice are aware of it and vocal against it rather than merely looking the other way or pretending it doesn't exist.

For Holy Homework:

Sometime during the Advent season, we can read, rent or watch a TV edition of the Dickens' Carol. Then, far from ignoring the gifted ghosts who are challenging us to change, we can embrace their healing message by identifying one self-centered vice in our lives and resolving to exchange it for a virtue.

God bless us, every one.

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