Home By Another Way Advent 2025

Have you heard the James Taylor Christmas song, “Home By Another Way”? It’s a retelling of the bible story from Matthew about the magi from the east who followed a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. (FYI: Matthew never says there were three of them, or that they were wise, or kings. Just that they were astrologers, “magi,” people who searched for meaning in the stars). Taylor sings:
 
Those magic men, the Magi, some people call them wise…even kings. Well, anyway, those guys. They visited with Jesus. They sure enjoyed their stay, then warned in a dream of King Herod’s scheme, they went home by another way.
 
…Maybe me and you can be wise guys, too, and go home by another way. We can make it another way, safe home as they used to say.

Steer clear of royal welcomes. Avoid a big to-do. A king who would slaughter the innocents will not cut a deal for you. …Mustn’t let King Herod haunt you…They tell me that life is a miracle and I figure that they’re right but Herod’s always out there. He’s got our cards on file. It’s a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch, well, old Herod likes to take a mile.
 
So, it’s best to go home by another way. Go home another way.
 
This Advent, we at the Maine Council of Churches would like to invite you to join us in going home another way to Christmas.
 
God knows, we are dealing with our own modern-day version of scheming King Herod these days. He, too, is busy slaughtering innocents. And he’s not interested in cutting us a deal. He’s got our cards on file and it most definitely is a lead pipe cinch that if we give him an inch, well, he’ll likely take a mile.
 
To outsmart and outlast that kind of tyrant, we need to find ways to sustain ourselves for the long haul, to nurture our spirits and revive our souls. We need to find spiritual practices that empower us to keep on resisting.
 
This year, this Advent, it’s imperative we go home to Christmas by another way, a way that leads away from anxiety, stress and busy-ness and toward a deeper connection with God, neighbor and nature. A way that includes milestones and rest stops that invite us to pause and create space for silence, reflection, meditation, awe, wonder, and mystery.
 
Over the next few weeks, we’ll offer suggestions for simple spiritual practices we can all try this Advent (and keep right on using long after the holidays are over!).
 
So, fasten your seatbelts (though it won’t be a bumpy ride). Let’s hit the road, going home together by another way.
 
Spiritual Practice for Week 1: Be still.
 
Before you get sucked (any further) into the whirlwind vortex of the “Christmas season,” start setting aside at least 15 minutes every day to spend alone in a quiet, calm space. Turn off the television, radio, computer screen, tablet, cell phone, even your book. That’s it. Just be still. (Told you this wasn’t going to be hard!)
 
Perhaps you’ll choose to get up early before everyone else is up and about where you live and sit in a favorite chair with a cozy blanket and a hot cup of tea. Or maybe you’ll do this at the end of the evening when you’re the last one awake and not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. Or maybe you know a quiet corner of the woods or a peaceful riverbank, or somewhere else out in nature where you can be quiet, calm, undisturbed, and still for 15 minutes.
 
What do you say? Can you commit to the bit? Will you join us in this spiritual practice? If so, please feel free to share some brief words of reflection, or artwork, that describes your experience—email it to us at info@mainecouncilofchurches.org or leave us a voicemail at 207-772-1918 or send a note to 202 Woodford Street, Portland, 04103.
 
We’d love to hear from you as you begin the journey home by another way.
 
(Check back next week for the next spiritual practice suggestion!)