Posts Tagged ‘Homelessness’

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Br. David Vryhof

I John 3:1-6
John 1:29-34

“Did you go home for Christmas?”  That’s a question you’re likely to hear these days.  “Were you at home for the holidays?”  “Did the kids come home for Christmas?”  It’s a common theme at this time of year.  We naturally associate the holiday season with “coming home.”  Retailers pick up on the theme, offering us images of families gathered before the fireplace or around the Christmas tree.  “I’ll be home for Christmas” plays over the loudspeaker in the grocery store.  The idea of being “home” for the holidays appeals to many of us.

But what does “home” mean, really?  Is it a place we can return to, or is it more of a longing?  For many of us, the word “home” summons up a whole range of things that are past and that cannot be retrieved.  The house we grew up in belongs to someone else.  Our parents may have divorced – or died.  Our siblings may be scattered across the country.  The neighbors we once knew have drifted away.  For us, “home” isn’t a specific place anymore; it’s more like a whole set of longings… or a collection of special people… or a treasure chest of memories that combine to make us feel safe and loved.

Many of us love the idea of “coming home.”  But for others of us, perhaps, “home” was never that fine a place to begin with.  Home was the place where mom and dad argued all the time until they finally split up, or where unkind and even abusive words were spoken.  For us, “home” wasn’t a place where we felt safe or loved.  We’ve had to find our “home” elsewhere – with different people and in different surroundings.

Being “home” for the holidays is important to many of us.  But what can the miracle of Christmas teach us about being home? Read More