Our lives are full of festivals. Perhaps we don't call them festivals any more. Nevertheless, is our nature to celebrate. The first readings today talked of the celebration of the return of the light. Festivals of light occur in many cultures when the days grow short. The most ancient of festivals at this time of the year is the winter solstice.

         On Monday night, many of us gathered in our Parish house. We created a spiral of greens on the floor. We put cans covered in foil at intervals along the spiral. Only a single flame-the flame of the chalice-was lit in the center. We sat a circle around it. Except for the Christmas tree, the room was dark. A musician played softly on a dulcimer. Each one of us took a candle and walked meditatively around and around to the center of the spiral, lit our candle and then laid it somewhere along the winding greenery. At the end of the spiral, each one picked up a candle and carried it to the next person. Some people walked in twos-a few couples and a mother and son. Candle by candle the room was alight with meaning and being. This was the timeless place when the day and the night were the same length. What made this such a spiritual experience?

         The second festival mentioned is the birthday of Jesus. Much is made of this birth. The biblical story says that the father was no earthly one, that angles announced the birth, and a star guided shepherds and rich men from Persia. Modern scholars say this story was probably added to provide a noble birth so that Jesus' family line should go back to King David. Many of us smile at such fantastic stories, and yet Jesus of Nazareth had to be born and was once a babe. Whose heart is not touched by the birth of a child, especially a child who words touched the lives of so many that a world religions grew from them? Biblical scholar Elaine Pagels' tells us that the Gospel of Philip says that "virgin birth" means "new" birth or "spiritual transformation." But this perspective was declared heretical in the third century.

         What was it about Jesus' words that touched the hearts of so many?

         The third festival we spoke of was that of giving and sharing. This is what we enjoy the most about Christmas, isn't it? We give presents and we give to charities. We love to give and share. All societies on earth have a time when they do this.

         The fourth festival we spoke of is that of joy! The time of feasting and fun, of singing and being with friends and family.

         What's going on in all of these festivals? To answer this, it might be a good idea for us to get to the root of why Christmas is such a compelling time. Why indeed, you may ask? It would help our children for one thing. You may have heard the story of the little boy who came back from Sunday school and told his mother that he now knew all about the Christmas story. She asked him what he knew. He said, "The Wise Men from the East brought gifts to the Baby Jesus because there wasn't any Santa way back then. And Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with his nose so bright wasn't there yet, so they had to have this big spotlight in the sky to find their way around."

         So what would we prefer to tell our children? We may not be able to tell them about the essence of the story until they are older.

         In the magical moment of the winter spiral; in the magical moment of contemplating the guiding star; in the magical moment of giving and sharing; and in the magical moment of the joy of being together with those closest to us is what the sacred is about. It is the moment we apprehend the Eternal Now. Great teachers come to teach us about it. Jesus said, "All that is in heaven is within you." When time stands still for us; when we are beyond thought; when we are not reacting to anything but just observing the moment-with the moment-this is the Eternal Now.

         Why did you come here tonight? There is so much more you might have chosen to do! I offer my perspective on why you are here. I believe you came to experience the Eternal Now, that moment, that spirit that is actually always with you and within you. But in the human drama, it is hard to find a timeless moment. The Eternal Now is the place of peace, of love, of truth, of inner light that is always shining if we will but go inwards to find it or be open to it in the solstice spiral, the Christmas Spirit, the giving and sharing, and the joy of this holiday. We can also experience it in prayer or meditation, or the focus on a single flame.          In the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, of which only fragments have survived, Jesus said to the disciples, "The Son of Man is within you. Follow after him."

         If we want to follow what is within us, we will have to take the trouble to focus within and there we will experience the Eternal Now. This is the function of our festivals: to bring us into touch with the Eternal Now. Let us do it then. Let us light our candles and bring the Eternal Now into our awareness with Silent Night, Holy Night. Let the candle lighting begin. [We slowly turned off all the lights while the flame was passed through the sanctuary. And after "Silent Night" was over, we sat for a while with our flames and of course, the Eternal Now.]

         We ended with these words: When we celebrate this special holiday tonight or tomorrow, may you will take the opportunity to ask your friends and family what Christmas means to them. When they respond, please listen to them with your whole heart because in that listening whole-heartedly is also the Eternal Now.