In the tradition of opening a door on an Advent calendar, we open today’s post to reveal…
… there’s 3 days to Christmas Day…
and today’s spice is…
… Sage
A pinch of spice
Sage has an earthy, aromatic, and herbaceous scent. Sage features in many English and Italian dishes, bringing flavour to sausages and pasta. At Christmas sage flavours gravies and turkey or meat stuffing. The herb sage has inspired songs, poetry, prose, ceremonies, and rituals. Another meaning for the word sage comes from Ancient times of the Greeks, Romans and Jews. To be a Sage, or to be known as a sage person meant then, and still does today, being wise and enlightened with a wealth of life-learned knowledge. The root words for each of the meanings of sage have different origins. Yet, there is some association between the two. Long traditions across many cultures have attributed the herb sage with properties able to increase people’s wisdom and strengthen their memory.
A pinch of the Christmas story
When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. Everyone listened and was surprised.
Luke 2:17-18 (CEV)
A pinch of reflection
We often think of a wise person as someone who shares good advice with others. Yet possessing wisdom doesn’t come from talking. Wisdom comes from listening and observing and pondering. Today’s pinch from the Christmas story shows that wisdom was present at the first Christmas. This wisdom wasn’t just present in the visit from the wise travellers who appear later in the story, it’s right at the start. It was present when those who listened to the shepherds were surprised. As we approach this Christmas, we can learn from both today’s spice and the first Christmas. Let us be listeners and observers. Let us be prepared to be surprised.