Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
Every year on Thanksgiving, after the meal is done and the leftovers are stashed in the fridge, I sit down in my pajamas with a big blanket and my dog in my lap to watch the 1947 classic film, Miracle on 34th Street. Starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne and (an 8-year old) Natalie Wood, this is, for me, the kick-off to the Christmas season.
If you have never seen Miracle on 34th Street, (first of all, are you kidding me?!? Second of all...) the plot, in a nutshell, revolves around a court case proving the sanity of a department store Santa called Kris Kringle (“age: as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth”). I won’t spoil the ending, just in case you are one of the only five people on the planet who has never seen this film, but I will say that it is a heart-warmer. The perfect ignition to the flame of joy that is the holidays.
This year, after the turkey is eaten and the pie dish scraped clean, I’m sure I will continue with my yearly ritual of watching this movie. This year, however, I hope to watch with new eyes. After all, the title of the movie is Miracle on 34th Street. Haven’t we all been searching for a miracle this year?
Searching for an end to the trials, struggles and challenges that have seemed to plague us. A miracle cure. A miracle outcome. A miracle deliverance. Regardless of our address on the globe; 34th Street or Madison Avenue, Burnside Street or Skid Row, are we not collectively holding our breath for a miracle?
In the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street, the miracle in question is not revealed with great fanfare. Actually, it is left to the imagination of the viewer. It is so subtle that by the ending credits, one might inadvertently forget that there was a miracle expected, nay, promised from the onset of the opening credits.
Could the Miracle be the climactic courtroom verdict handed down late in the evening on Christmas Eve (Don’t forget Tommy’s football helmet, Mr. D.A.)? Could the possible miracle be the unexpected Christmas gift that little Susan (Natalie Wood) requests of her new found friend, Kris (“I believe. I believe. It’s silly, but I believe”)? The romantic among us might think the miracle is the backseat love-story of Doris and Fred (“Don't you see? It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.”). Could it be the turning of Doris’ heart towards Kris, I mean Santa? Or Kris’ heart (re)turning toward the hope that is Christmas? Again, it is a thickly veiled secret that may resonate differently with each individual viewer. I will be watching with an attentive eye to the nuances of the miracle and/or miracles that happen on 34th Street.
There are 30 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. That’s 30 days to reflect on another miracle... the miracle of Christmas. The miracle of Christ’s love that is a gift freely given to us all. Whatever the miracle of this endearing movie may be, my heart, as the Christmas season begins, will focus on the first miracle of Christmas. The miracle that a baby was sent to deliver each man and woman from their brokenness. The sins of the world placed on the shoulders of a babe who would be King.
It may seem hard to comprehend, but as Fred Gailey tells us in my favorite Thanksgiving Day flick, “Faith is believing something when common sense tells you not to”. Have faith. Even when common sense tells you not to. Have faith that miracles happen. Have faith that even though all seems lost, there is hope. Have faith that there is weeping in the night but joy in the morning... and most importantly, have faith that Jesus came to us as a baby, grew into a man, suffered, died and was resurrected for each of us. It is the greatest story ever told and it is the greatest miracle of all.
Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for and blessed by you today.
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