Charles Dickens wrote the amazing story A Christmas Carol. I have watched the movie version for far too many years to count. It’s one of my favorites. In Dickens’ work, we read of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly, selfish man who lives only for himself and his work. It does not matter what movie version we see; Ebenezer comes off as a miserable person: mean, greedy, abrasive, and very lonely. There are circumstances as to why he feels that way.

As we read the classical book or view one of the movie versions, Ebenezer finds himself in a very uncomfortable position. He is visited by his former partner and three spirits of Christmas: Past, Present and Future. During these encounters, he wrestles with how the past and present appear to define his future. At this point in the story, I would have inserted this phrase, “Ebenezer, our past helps to shape and form us, but it does not have to define us.”

In the beginning of the book of Luke, we find the story about the angel Gabriel coming to visit the young Mary.  The angel first tells Mary that she is highly favored and the Lord is with her.  Then he goes on to explain how she will give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.  Understandably, this message was confusing and even a bit troubling to Mary, who didn’t fully understand what this could mean and how this could be.  Gabriel replies, “Nothing is impossible with God.” Whatever we are facing from our past, whatever we are facing in the present moment, or whatever we will face in the future – I think it’s important that we also can remind ourselves of the angel’s message to Mary…