A reflection from Don Manghelli:

Have the sweet gums and all the other trees in my neighborhood notched up their beauty this year? Or have they pulled me a notch higher into their beauty? Either way, the splendor of the divine has especially surrounded me this year.

“Look at me,” the fall leaves seem to shout. “I’m putting on my prettiest colors. I’m going to a big celebration.” They seem to try to outdo each other for my attention.

They know that by winter’s solstice, their colors will be gone – fallen onto Mother Earth. And they also know that, at that darkest hour of winter, the Christ Child will sneak into our world, hidden among the farm animals. Autumn chides me, “Can you wake up, watch with me for an hour? I don’t want you to miss the big event – Emmanuel, ‘God with us.’”

I’m reminded of a folk song I sang years ago at baptisms:

The wailing of a newborn babe: It’s a blessing every way.

Each time a baby’s born, it’s a bit of Christmas Day.

A baby’s crying is a hint, of the way the Christ did sound.

Another baby’s born, humankind, now take it one more round.

Inspired by the autumn leaves, can we notch up our welcome to the Christ Child, God with us? The song asks us…

One more chance, humankind, will you take it?

Take the chance the way a child takes love?