It is almost Christmas again. if you are like me you are probably frantic with all the last minute details as you wait for your family to gather.  So in the midst of all that let me offer something that will help you slow down and remind you again of what we are really celebrating in these final crazy days of the season,

Years ago I found a lovely book called The Glorious Impossible with text written by Madeleine L’Engle and illustrated with the frescoes by Giotto from the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, Italy. This is truly an amazing chapel and the frescoes which you can see in their entirety by clicking here are masterpieces of detail and artistic brilliance. Giotto is thought to have started and finished these frescoes during a two year time period between 1303 and 1305. Given the detail and volume of this work, it is really quite extraordinary.

Against the backdop of these frescoes, L’Engle’s reflections bring us to the central meaning of the birth, life, and death of Jesus. She points out that Jesus’ life was framed by two impossibilities: the story of his birth and later his death and resurrection which leads her to the central thesis of this book:

Possible things are easy to believe.

The Glorious Impossibles

are what bring joy to our hearts,

hope to our lives,

songs to our lips.

L”Engel’s retelling of the mystery of “God, come to be one of us” is new and yet familiar. In her inimitable style she weaves the strands of the story, always pointing out the “Glorious Impossibilities” that give us joy and hope. There is probably no greater gift than to be reminded again of the Glorious Impossibility that this season offers to all of us!