Christmastide

St. Stephen's Day 2017

Christmas in New York is always a unique occasion. The Christmas lights in the neighborhoods, the congested corridors in the department stores, and the increase in traffic on the streets and highways. In the frenzy of the season there is the leitmotif of hope and joy in the midst of the troubling circumstances of the world.

Christmas Eve I was the celebrant at Epiphany Lutheran. There wasn't a large congregation. The fact that Advent 4 and Christmas Eve were the same day limited the number or worshipers for the evening. After the liturgy, some members of the congregation went and sang Christmas carols to my aunt who continues to have problems with walking. She also received the Eucharist. Afterward, we ventured down the block to visit another shut-in who can no longer walk due to her lost of her lower limbs. The Christmas season makes one aware of the God of promise and hope given to us in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

On Christmas day we had brunch at home and then we (my sister and brother-in-law) went to make the family rounds: Aunt Dot, Ricky and Terry (cousin) and Mrs. Payne (Robert's mother). There was no rushing. After the visits we returned home to eat Christmas dinner.

This morning, the reality of city life was very apparent as I had to move my car (double part) due to alternate side of the street parking....I moved the car by 8:20 and re-parked it 9:25. Now, I can relax the rest of the day. I'll probably watch a French movie on DVD.