Wednesday, January 04, 2006
The Meaning of Christmas
My post-teenage son asks if his grandparents have left a check of him. Translation, am I still loved by my grandparents? A young lover waits expectantly to see if her beau will offer an engagement ring for Christmas. Translation, does he love me enough to want to marry me? Our mailboxes are full of appeals for various charities. Translation, if your heart is filled with love for your fellow man you will send some money to our charity. Family members ask what you will be serving for the annual Christmas feast. Translation, do you care enough about us to serve our favorite recipe as mom, grandmother, etc. used to prepare it? A spouse says I would like (fill in the blank) for Christmas. Translation, if you still love me you will do it!
Everyone is seeking a reassurance of love in their lives. We seek the assurances we are loved and we are capable of loving others. It is a human need to be loved. Doctors and psycholigists have shown a baby that doesn't receive love and nuture will fail to thrive and in the extreme to perish. Others seek in this season to demand that we express our love of the Christ Child in different ways. There was the controversy this year about whether you expressed your greetings as “Merry Christmas” or simply “Happy Holidays” this was especially directed at some discount chains. Another was do you call the Yule tree a “holiday tree” or a “Christmas tree”. Another media item was whether some churches would hold services on Christmas Day since it was also a Sunday. In past years, there have been arguments about whether manger scenes are allowed on public property or if Christmas carols could be sung in public schools.
My understanding of Christianity is that what we celebrate at Christmas is the birth of Jesus who was born as a redeemer to the people of Israel and to rest of us Gentiles also. This was an active demonstration of the love of our creator for the people whom he had made, who had become distracted by their own interests and become alienated from Him. To respond to this demonstration all that was and is required is to sincere attempt to return that love to Him and to love others created by Him. The feast day set aside in honor of this birth should be a reminder to us to express that love. The existence of Christmas or even Christianity is not dependent upon practicing any set of rituals whether by greetings, decorating, feasting or even the exchange of gifts. Christmas has only been a public holiday for the last 150 years or so. The creation of a legal holiday was designed to stimulate commerce. Now many stores make their annual profit dependent upon December sales. The publishing of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was used as media tool to create the present day legal holiday. You may recall in this tale, there was no holiday from work on Christmas. The celebration was marked by a Christmas meal and the exchange of a few small gifts. Are we not still distracted by our own interests?
I would suspect if we could enter the creator’ mind we would learn, it would be His desire that this love which is universally sought, should be something we express in our lives continually, not just at a specific season. It would probably also be something that should entail our ability to admit when we are hurt or have hurt others and seek or offer forgiveness. I would think it is intended to be a way of life, a way to view all others we deal with or have an influence over and it should result in positive relationships and treatment of all mankind. This would truly represent “Peace on Earth” and “Joy to all Mankind”, to be able to live in harmony with our maker and with our fellow man. Merry Christmas!
My post-teenage son asks if his grandparents have left a check of him. Translation, am I still loved by my grandparents? A young lover waits expectantly to see if her beau will offer an engagement ring for Christmas. Translation, does he love me enough to want to marry me? Our mailboxes are full of appeals for various charities. Translation, if your heart is filled with love for your fellow man you will send some money to our charity. Family members ask what you will be serving for the annual Christmas feast. Translation, do you care enough about us to serve our favorite recipe as mom, grandmother, etc. used to prepare it? A spouse says I would like (fill in the blank) for Christmas. Translation, if you still love me you will do it!
Everyone is seeking a reassurance of love in their lives. We seek the assurances we are loved and we are capable of loving others. It is a human need to be loved. Doctors and psycholigists have shown a baby that doesn't receive love and nuture will fail to thrive and in the extreme to perish. Others seek in this season to demand that we express our love of the Christ Child in different ways. There was the controversy this year about whether you expressed your greetings as “Merry Christmas” or simply “Happy Holidays” this was especially directed at some discount chains. Another was do you call the Yule tree a “holiday tree” or a “Christmas tree”. Another media item was whether some churches would hold services on Christmas Day since it was also a Sunday. In past years, there have been arguments about whether manger scenes are allowed on public property or if Christmas carols could be sung in public schools.
My understanding of Christianity is that what we celebrate at Christmas is the birth of Jesus who was born as a redeemer to the people of Israel and to rest of us Gentiles also. This was an active demonstration of the love of our creator for the people whom he had made, who had become distracted by their own interests and become alienated from Him. To respond to this demonstration all that was and is required is to sincere attempt to return that love to Him and to love others created by Him. The feast day set aside in honor of this birth should be a reminder to us to express that love. The existence of Christmas or even Christianity is not dependent upon practicing any set of rituals whether by greetings, decorating, feasting or even the exchange of gifts. Christmas has only been a public holiday for the last 150 years or so. The creation of a legal holiday was designed to stimulate commerce. Now many stores make their annual profit dependent upon December sales. The publishing of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was used as media tool to create the present day legal holiday. You may recall in this tale, there was no holiday from work on Christmas. The celebration was marked by a Christmas meal and the exchange of a few small gifts. Are we not still distracted by our own interests?
I would suspect if we could enter the creator’ mind we would learn, it would be His desire that this love which is universally sought, should be something we express in our lives continually, not just at a specific season. It would probably also be something that should entail our ability to admit when we are hurt or have hurt others and seek or offer forgiveness. I would think it is intended to be a way of life, a way to view all others we deal with or have an influence over and it should result in positive relationships and treatment of all mankind. This would truly represent “Peace on Earth” and “Joy to all Mankind”, to be able to live in harmony with our maker and with our fellow man. Merry Christmas!
