A Christmas Kiss

To you I must confess a thing that shames me now, I fear:
that up until that God-sent day when Heaven’s kiss came near
I sometimes dreaded dragging out the ornaments and lights,
for worldly cares had made me long for rest on Advent nights.
Perhaps you can relate to my confession written here,
that workplace woes and manic malls and gifts to commandeer
and frantic fretting over guests for parties on the town
may make one miss the Heavenly bliss this season showers down.
As oft is so when older ones of us seem cumbered low
and care-worn, and we blindly miss the treasures here bestowed
in doing once again the things we do from year to year,
the children come and bless us with the simple truth, so clear.
So my dear toddler came that night, descending down the stairs
as if entranced (in retrospect, by Spirit, unawares),
as she was beckoned to the tree which half-adorned did stand,
and reaching for the ornaments to take them in her hand
she kissed them; then in soft, sweet tones, caressing every word,
said, “God is great and God is good.” The Spirit could be heard
as it breathed blessing to the corners of my soul.
Epiphany it brought to me, as from my heart did roll
true worship to the Heavenly Babe I then saw face to face,
whose radiance was reflected into every empty space
by all the many ornaments there hanging on our tree:
a Christmas kiss the Holy Child gave tenderly to me.