12/22/13 Rev. David McArthur
Christmas – Love Creates New Consciousness
Christmas is about a change of consciousness in the world that also happens in our own spiritual journeys. In the story of the Annunciation in the Gospel of Luke, Mary answers the angel, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be unto me as ye said.” What a state of receptivity! In the Christmas story, the presence of angels invites us to a higher consciousness. As the higher consciousness of peace is born in us, it is born more deeply into the world. Joseph stands for the capacity to discern that which is higher, which has more wisdom, in us. He saw what the young Mary, pregnant and unwed, could face in their severely repressive society. Joseph could see the higher and had the capacity to say “yes!”
This experience in the scripture is an experience of the heart. Mary and Joseph have in their hearts the love of God and can see the new level of consciousness. It comes from the love in their hearts. Love creates new consciousness. Say with me, Love creates new consciousness in me.
Little Perry’s mom, a single-mother who couldn’t work due to a heart condition, could not always provide even the bare necessities. But when the new neighbor on Christmas eve asked to borrow a cup of flour, she welcomed her in. The neighbor was also a single mom, and had two boys about Perry’s age. They were even more destitute, but, with Perry’s consent, his mom invited them to share what truly little there was. Christmas morning came and Perry was so excited he raced out of his bedroom to find the neighbor lady cooking in the kitchen and the two neighbor boys on the couch in the living room. There was one toy for each of them under the small tree. Perry had asked for a GI Joe. His mom had managed to find a charity that had some toys for boys. Perry tore open his package and it was a GI Joe. No ammo pack or rifle, but it was GI Joe. There was a present for each of the other boys. However, a new consciousness was born in Perry when he saw the excitement and joy on the neighbor boys’ faces as each unwrapped his present.
We don’t experience higher consciousness until we see the love and joy there. Love creates new consciousness. Until we see there is something new and beautiful and higher in it, until we see with the love. Love creates a higher consciousness in me. It does. See it everywhere this Christmas! Love creates a higher consciousness in me. And when it does, it creates a very merry Christmas!