Every Burk at the Motel liked Christmas a LOT,

But the Virus, still seething and stealing, did not.

It had started the year taking back all the good–

The things that we want to do, things that we should,

It made people fear and it made people sick—

Best of all, it kept people arguing about it.

“You think of Christmas as awe, magic, and wonder,”

said the Virus, as it cranked up its handy un-funner.

“This un-funner, you see, is the finest contraption

for dispensing a sense of helpless infraction–

You cannot go here and you cannot go there;

Eat eggs and ham but don’t go anywhere.

It’s a spoiler on turbo, oh my goodness, oh me—

Sure, you can wed, die, get born or retire—just do it private-ly.

Focus instead on fear, worry, and dread ‘til they own ya—

For that’s far more poisonous than any ol’ Corona.

Like a thief it stole school years, our milestones, our days,

Everything that mattered—our habits, our ways.

But the Virus wasn’t happy with stalled, stagnant lives,

“I must have isolation!” it cried with a gleam in its eyes;

“No hugging, no touching, no meaningful time;

As for loved ones—you’re done:

Helloooo, party for one!”

“The thing you can have while holed up in your room

Is a marvelous invention I like to call Zoom,

For the speed at which it replaces real life—

Trading in-person for technological strife.

And oh, the devices—the devices so nices!

Which for anything social will have to suffices.

Why, sighed the Virus, I can taste the disaster,

Just thinking about the tech you’ll have to master.”

“So,” said the virus, the holiday un-doer,

“This Christmas ain’t white so I’ll make it bluer—

I erased your Easter, I fizzled your fourth,

every picnic and party, every gathering I’ve torched;

I wasted some weddings, put festivals to rest,

But this next holiday season, well, that there’s m’ test.

For Christmas in particular, I’m feeling quite bold–

I think it will stink, let’s put the whole thing on hold.

Now, don’t you pout, don’t you cry, or with me get all uppity,

You, in your houseful of college peeps and new Covid puppies;

You’ll be okay, at the end of the day—at least

They are once again stocking toilet paper and yeast.

Now Ma in her PPE and I in my mask

Had just settled in for a long winter’s nap,

When up from the doom-scroll there arose such a scene:

The world stands in awe: Here comes the vaccine!

We have heroes out there making the world go –

Doctors and nurses and teachers, you know.

There are people who give every minute each day,

so you can stay home, dodge germs and essentially play;

Bemoaning the fun that’s been stolen from youse,

while you take for granted the luxury to choose.

So, the first cure of demise is surely our attitude;

Let’s slow down, dig deep and extend them some gratitude.

There’s nowhere to go and there’s no one to see;

Either I carry it to you or you carry it to me.

So cancel those get-togethers, rein in those plans;

Sporting games, theater tix, and sing-alongs be banned.

On Simplify, on Regroup, on Prioritize and Cancel,

On Quarantine and Lock-down and Let’s-not-take-chances!

To the top of their social life, their schedules, their calls—

now dash away, dash away, dash away all…

The Virus was happy, the world lay in waste,

With grief, longing, and darkness all over the place,

When what to his wondering eyes did appear,

Thanks to Jupiter and Saturn (and Mars) aligning this year:

A magical, miraculous star in the sky—

why he could barely behold it; the mask got in his eye:

“Hmmm,” mused the Virus, “Where have I seen that before?”

Maybe Christmas really, REALLY doesn’t come from a store;

For 2020’s lessons are far-reaching and sublime,

As the voice that was heard gave the truth of all time:

I will not tell you to suck it up or buck up or get over it,

I will not even tell you to wear your mask

(though I might ask…)

What I will say if you listen, is bring it to me,

Sure as the star glistens I will set your heart free;

For I am the only thing bigger than this,

I’m bigger than anything you can hope, pray, or wish.

The virus—yes, it is big and it’s bad, with a power to sad–

It’s been sadding and badding since your earliest days,

Since those two in the Garden turned from my ways.

But I, too, am big, I’m powerful—I’m outrageous,

You won’t find anything that’s more contagious

Than my LOVE to all, which I gave you in Christ,

So now, my children, for goodness sake—be nice!

You’re connected, not defective,

you’re more together than apart;

I made it that way when the Cross broke my heart.

So the Burk circles grew smaller with each passing day,

But their hearts, they were opened to surprises this way:

Maybe Christmas, they said, doesn’t come from get-togethers,

Enjoying cheese balls and cocktails in our ugliest sweaters…

Maybe the must-dos and traditions we can suspend;

We’ve waited before, we can sure wait again…

Maybe parties and concerts and plays aren’t the thing

That carries the meaning and makes us all sing

Of the town of Bethlehem and the first Noel,

But the amazing gift of Emmanuel.

No virtual Zoom meeting for the Lord of Creation;

You’re craving “in-person”? Here, have Incarnation!

For though we are both world-wide, life-changing and grave,

There’s only one of us mighty to save.

No, there’s nothing less virtual, that is the thing,

Or more “unprecedented”

than the birth of our King.