We set up Christmas trees in our homes
As a sign of God and nature’s presence.

It’s a really good symbol because these trees have fresh green needles –
Natural as all outdoors –
And are strung with lines of colorful lights –
Reminding us of the candles used by our ancestors.

We do this without thinking about it –
Since it’s a custom more ancient than our formal religion –
That is, bringing nature and lights into dark winter homes.

But it’s more than a symbol –

If you engage a bit more deeply with your tree –
Through half-closed eyes and an open heart –
You’ll slowly begin to perceive that nature’s lit with an “inner fire” –
In other words, numinosity is hidden inside the entire material world –
Representing an aspect of the holy that’s in everybody and everything.

This numinosity exists not only in life, but also in non-life –
Like stones – small as a grain of sand or large as a planet – or even stars –
Whether spinning around in water or revolving through outer space –
In a way, they’re all “alive,” each bearing its own particular “touch” of God.

Quantum physicists know this –
How everything increases in energy and speed
The deeper one penetrates through the multi-layered shells of reality –
Like Russian nesting dolls –
Universes inside universes –
“Up,” as well as “down” – to infinity –
Where everything moves
Faster than the speed of light – and beyond –
But never, never, as quickly as the speed attained by human hearts in love –
Where entropy doesn’t apply.

Love exists in a realm beyond material measurement –
It’s a spiritual quality of such signal importance to humans
That everyone long ago reached agreement that love’s both essential and true.

So, you might want to take a closer look at your Christmas tree,
Looking through half-closed eyes and an open heart,
To see for yourself whether you can intuit the presence of God
In your very own living room.

Remember, love moves at the speed of glorious green nature –
Hiding individual colored lights, like stars, throughout your tree’s infinite branches –
And supporting tiny angels gently opening and closing their wings –
Nestled way back in the shadowy dark fresh green needles.

Standing there, quietly,
In your very own living room –
A radiant, sparkling, light/dark Christmas tree