When my sons were very little I brought home from the grocery story a Sesame Street book that held a recipe for Cookie Monster cookies. The recipe page had cute illustrations of Cookie Monster throwing all the ingredients in a large bowl and stirring them up with a huge fork. We followed his lead and thus began a family tradition of Cookie Monster cookies for Christmas.
Year after year we bought more and more cookie cutters and thrust them into rolled out dough – tin soldiers, doves, Santa’s sleigh, snow men, Christmas trees and such. Icing, sprinkles and edible silver balls completed the sweet joys.
And then came the year Katie died. We knew she was struggling health-wise, but her death just before Christmas and her 11th birthday, shook us with unexpected grief. Her parents chose to receive Katie’s mourners in their home. And so, with beautiful Katie’s still body resting in the living room, we were going to gather in the kitchen to share tears and food.
What should I bring? I peered in the fridge and saw the bowl of cookie dough. Inspiration hit and I started rolling dough and cutting out crosses and angels.
Arriving at Katie’s house I handed the plate of cookies to her mom and said, “These are resurrection cookies.”
Every Christmas since we have baked crosses and angels to celebrate Katie’s life and coming resurrection.
I wonder if the same angel who went to the shepherds with the news of great joy also greeted Jesus’s mourners.
Maybe the angel who told young Mary she would bear a son also told her,“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.”
“Do not be afraid.”
“Do not be afraid.”
“Do not be afraid,” the angels say again and again.
Do not be afraid because there was a cross, and Jesus did die and live again.
“Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
A Savior was born for Katie.
A Savior was born for you.
If you roll out some cookie dough this week, I hope you make crosses and angels,
because Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Do you believe this? Then rejoice and do not be afraid.
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Scripture references: Luke 2:10,11; Matthew 28:5,6
Hope Walking 