"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John 1:10

The film "Trains, Planes and Automobiles" demonstrates the importance of having loved ones at the holidays. John Candy is a lonely salesman who has no family and nowhere to go for Thanksgiving. So he latches onto Steve Martin, who is stuck far from home due to a horrible weather front. Martin has a wonderful family waiting for him--but no way to get there. He has several credit cards in his pocket, but no wheels or decent lodging available due to the emergency. As the title implies, he tries every mode of transportation to reach his loved ones, but finds himself shackled to his hapless fellow traveler, the person he loathes.

Such is the irony of the holidays. We want family near. Relationships are enjoyed and mourned.

I am interested in, but no longer surprised by the sad anniversaries people connect to the holidays. Many seem to measure tragedies by Christmas: "Dad's last." "The last before our divorce." "Our last in the house on Baker Street."

And of course, old family squabbles are remembered each year because some relatives choose to absent themselves for one hurt or another. Others make the attempt to come home, yet for some reason unclear to them, get the cold shoulder.

This experience was shared by Jesus. The saddest Christmas story I have ever heard is in John's prologue. "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."

There are many holiday circumstances that elude our control. Conflicts of calendar or a shortage of cash can thwart our optimistic plans. However, we can count on Jesus arriving on cue, each season. He arrives, suitcases at his sides on the ground and arms extended in the form of a cross, ready to greet us and move in.

-Tim Mitchell

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