Holidays point out the Truth of life. They bear the names of the Truths of Life. Holidays are called Independence, Thanksgiving, Christmas. I do not know of a holiday called Suffering or Pain Day.

Christmas comes in many layers. Do not be dismayed that Christmas has become commercial. The world is not altogether a Church. The world, like music, has its overtones. Spiritual and commercial both support the Universe. Commercial does the best it can. It does seemingly, after all, put food on the table.

It is a puzzle how you expect too much and not enough at the same time. You look forward to this holiday in one way or another, and yet your heart looks for more than it receives. You know there is something more. Once you have picked up the ribbons and the wrappings, you are left with yourself, and your anticipation has fled. Something more was supposed to happen, and somehow the sun set, and the day is done. It is already the past. And what did you miss? What slipped past you?

Beloveds, life as you live it is not orderly, and you cannot make it so. You cannot pinpoint life. You cannot make a map of it to follow. You can't even really trace past events and determine how you got to where you are, even if you do know where you are now. There is so much conjecture.