Shannon was by herself for the first time at Christmas. She was trying to save some money for an anticipated year of travel, and because her siblings were all going to their in-laws with their families, she made the agonizing decision not to make a Christmas trip away this year. She had travelled every year before and over half of her trips had been disrupted by weather that was predictably unpredictable during the Christmas holiday season. She didn't want to risk it happening this year and so she made plans to settle in and spend the time alone. She knew it would be tough – she could not keep her thoughts from wandering to Christmases past and while they had not all lived up to the Christmas ideal, they were still a time of reconnection and comfort as she settled into the familiarity of family relationships and strengthened the bond between her nieces and nephews with whom she was so seldom able to spend time. It was the kids she would miss the most this year. However, a long family visit would be part of her deferred leave and so she steeled herself to be without them.

In order to make the holiday time as good as possible she had spent some time writing down all the good things that could come from a holiday time alone and made a definite plan to make sure that she gave time to make sure those things happened. As much as she did not look forward to the loneliness she would feel, she also highly anticipated the alone time. It seemed like a contradiction, but she strangely saw alone time and loneliness in very separate ways. She was pretty sure that she could minimize the loneliness and make good the conditions for cherished alone time by making sure that she had a good list – one that was too long for the time she had available. Yes, there was a chance she could be disappointed when the time was over, but she rationalized by saying that she would be happier to know that she hadn't been able to accomplish everything on her list than if she spent time moping and feeling sorry for herself.

So, Shannon had a pile of books to read – too many, she knew, but at least there would be a choice. She also had compiled a list of places she wanted to visit with her camera, so that she could chronicle this special place where she lived. She hoped for a few days during the Christmas break with just the right lighting conditions to make sure that the photos were as impressive as the landscape they would depict. She had accepted a number of invitations from friends over the break to make sure there was some human contact, but she also protected a number of days during the week following Christmas so that they were unplanned and unstructured.

One of the traditions of past Christmases at home was that everyone that had been able to gather would attend the late Christmas Eve service. Shannon wondered whether it would be good thing to do the same thing while she was alone and ultimately decided that while she would likely be very nostalgic she would make it part of her “alone at Christmas” plan.

She arrived just prior to the start of the late evening service, entered a darkened sanctuary, and took a seat near the back – not too far back but where she could fade into the woodwork if she wanted or feel the closeness of other people if that felt right.

Shannon wasn't prepared for what happened as she sat there. She was expecting a sort of typical Christmas Eve service – the singing of some carols, the reading of the Christmas story, and a warm message about love, peace and hope, followed by the soothing light of candles.

She didn't expect what sounded like a stirring endorsement of the occupy movement that had taken place in many North American cities over the fall months. She didn't expect to be so excited about the positive challenges presented by the story that Luke told in his gospel. She never thought that a message of hope, love and joy could be so linked to social justice. She had come expecting to be comforted, consoled with warm feelings and the promise of personal peace. Instead she was motivated and inspired. The minister had begun her message by explaining that Luke's gospel story was not a description of historical events, but a parable to explain what God had revealed to Luke through Jesus. She alluded to well known Canadian Marshall McLuhan in this centennial year of his birth, by quoting his famous “the medium is the message” statement. The message may have been carried by the shepherds but in reality the message was that shepherds were the first to receive the news. Carefully chosen by Luke, the shepherds represented the marginalized of first Century Palestine. Luke's audience would have made the connection right away. It was a little harder for a 21st century audience. Shepherds are more glamourous to a 21st century audience than they were to first century citizens. This theme of being marginal was matched by the location of the birth. Luke was telling a story about the birth of Messiah and Master, but this birth took place in the lowliest of places. Luke is clear to make connections between the claims of the empire – Rome and the new claims made possible by the birth of Jesus who would rule with equity and justice, a Son of God who would establish peace through justice instead of by violence.

Shannon understood what the minister was saying. She found herself making connections she had never thought about before. Yes, the lowly birth wasn't new to her and she had always appreciated the contrast, but the way it was described made it more real than she had ever experienced. It also brought an ancient story right into the present. Luke wasn't writing history, he was writing a manifesto for a new social order. A social order based on justice and equality. He was writing to support and encourage his community, and writing in challenge to the Empire which was an inseparable part of their first century environment.

But as the minister's message so clearly pointed out, first century Palestine was not that different from the 21st century. The news had been full lately of challenges to empire – that's what the Occupy movement was all about. It was also about the Arab Spring, summer and fall. It was about new ways of organizing and new ways of doing politics. It was about social movements that happened outside of regular media streams and with new targets for protest. It was about the growing opposition to globalization and the behind-the-scenes work that was going on to bring the powers that be – whether they were political or commercial – into a greater awareness of the threats the planet was facing because of climate change and the stripping of the fossil layer from earth.

However, the thing that really caught Shannon up was the way the minister connected first and 21st century societies, 21st century social and protest movements and spirituality. Luke was writing of the things that God revealed to him. Luke was writing of the things that God revealed to the shepherds, but Luke was also writing of the things that God is revealing to us.

Shannon left the Christmas Eve service that night with many thoughts running around in her head. There were connections she wanted to make. She could already anticipate the Googling she was going to do in these remaining days of her break. And she already knew there would be some books and other reading added to the top of her pile.

She had come expecting to be warmed and soothed with a comforting message. She left stirred and inspired with a hopeful and grateful state of mind. Amen.