today is the day that Christians celebrate what makes them different from anyone else...
lots of historians, religious texts, antagonists all recognize that Jesus was born -- Christmas is a great holiday, but nothing all that special, really...
but only Christians believe he rose from the dead... that he kept the prophecies and all his promises, and through the power of God -- because he was God -- he brought on eternal life and has made it available to all..
and he really means all...
his closest friends whilst on earth were sneaky tax collectors, smelly fishermen, guys with a temper and a bit of a violent streak, sketchy prostitutes, even his own mother was a bit of a cause of gossip for folks -- she was pregnant before she was married, after all...
he hugged the untouchables, reached out to the poor, helped the blind see and the lame walk and lonely feel loved and the marginalized feel welcome... the children feel important...
his feet were dirty, he probably had bad breath, he walked the same streets as anyone else and didn't lock himself up in a temple, away from his people, his creation, his loved ones...
there is a God that loves his earth, in all its calamity and spontaneity, and all its people, in all their normalcy and failings...
his followers did not walk around with glowing halos like they do in stained glass windows...
they ran away, they cried, they were confused and doubted and denied him...
but he still called them by name, called them friends, when he spoke to them..
that is the Savior... he loves... he lives...
still.
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