Living Into the Mystery

Christmas miracles still happen. Not long ago, a Christmas miracle came to some dear friends of mine. Steve, a close friend, is a man who is loved by many people around the world. A professional athlete, it seemed he had everything. He was living the American dream. He was outwardly successful in his relationships, his career and he had a bright, hope-filled future. Always one to see the person who was invisible to others, to help people who most needed helping, Steve is the kind of person who used his celebrity to good purpose: to help others instead of just concentrating on himself. Unbeknownst to most of the people around him, he was lonely; he was bone tired and could see no viable hope for the future. More than simple situational depression, Steve was struggling with big questions about his life, its meaning, his purpose and how it would all work out. One Christmas Eve day, he had an emotional and spiritual experience for which we are still struggling to find the right words.

He was filled with a warmth and love he’d never experienced. Along with that overwhelming sense of God’s love was the motivation to tell people, beginning with his family, what he had experienced and to try to make sense of it. Steve hadn't been to church in years. Even if he had been, he still wouldn't have had all the explanation to what happened to him that day. In these days, even in the church, we have lost the sense of anticipation that God really does answer our prayers. We seem to have lost the certainty that God responds to us in very real ways. Steve’s experience also seemed to set off a chain reaction that uncovered a mental illness that was unexpected. He and his family continue to struggle with the repercussions. Coming into contact with the holy always leaves echoes in the canyons of our lives.

The questions that contact with the holy raises deserve answers. Living into the Mystery is a connection of creativity and commitment for people of all places and ages.