A father writes: “For
two months before her third birthday our daughter Sandie said, "I'm going
to have a party" countless times a day.
When her birthday was over, Sandie then told everyone, "I had a
party countless times a day."
Finally we told her not to talk about the party any more. For one whole day, no mention was made. But
as I tucked her into bed that night she prayed, "Dear God, I can't talk
about it, but thank you for my birthday party." Amen!
Yes, birthdays are joyful occasions.
In the Gospel of Luke the angel announces: “I bring you good news of great joy that will
be for all the people.” Christmas is
about joyful news for all people.
Christmas is a time for celebration.
How did the Christmas Holy Day start?
The Bible says: “In the fullness
of time, God sent his Son, born of woman.”
We don’t know the precise date of Jesus’ birth. Christmas was first observed by the church as
the birthday of Jesus somewhere around A.D. 325 or later. St. Chrysostom says that Pope Julius I of Rome , was responsible for
establishing December 25 as the birth date of Jesus.
A Roman pagan festival had been held on this date to celebrate
the Winter Solstice, when the North Pole is farthest away from the sun. It was the feast of Sol Invictus, the
Unconquerable Sun, which was starting to turn northward once again. In a bold action, the Church re-instituted a
Christian celebration for a pagan feast.
The church was making the culture conform to the faith and introduced a
Christian holy day. From that time to
today, December 25th has honored not the unconquerable sun, but the birthday of
the Son of God.
For centuries Christians have promulgated arguments for and
against this historical fact. One
argument is that since the roots of Christmas are pagan, with pagan symbols and
trappings still attached to it, like feasts and trees and lights and ornaments
representing stars and planets, we should not celebrate it. The Puritans outlawed Christmas in Boston for 22 years and
it wasn’t fully accepted until the mid 1800’s.
The counter argument is that the church was being faithful
to the commission of Christ to go out and convert the world, to win the world
for Christ. So it was a good thing to
turn a pagan festival into a Christian holy day. This argument asserts that trees and symbols
representing stars or planets are good, God made them; lights on the tree are
good, God created light and Jesus is the light of the world; singing is good,
the angels sang; giving gifts is good, the Magi brought gifts to Jesus. So you decide which argument you agree with.
Why are birthdays special?
Birthdays say: “We’re happy you
were born. We are glad you are alive for
another year. You count among us and we
want to honor you.” We don’t commiserate with someone on their
birthday, dress in black clothing and say: “Oh
no another birthday, I’m so sorry for you, I feel terrible for you and immediately
burst into tears; no, we say Happy Birthday!” We don’t say: “Miserable Christmas; we say Merry Christmas!” Christmas is about a birthday party, the
birthday of Jesus the Savior of the world.
There are some spectacular Christmas celebrations of Jesus around the
world in cities like San Juan , Puerto Rico, Rome , Italy ,
and Rio de Janero, Brazil .
Yes, Jesus’ birth was forgettable and pedestrian on the one
hand, and yet on the other it was an extraordinary birth of historical and
cosmic significance. Remember every
time you check your calendar you are using Jesus Christ as your reference
point, because history is divided into B.C. and A.D.
Other holidays recognize but one day; Christmas is
celebrated for 12 days. That seems
right to me since it is about the coming Savior of the world. We celebrate the good news of the angel’s
announcement to the shepherds. It’s good
news, no matter who you are or what you have done. It’s good news, not for a select few, but for
all people.
What is the heart of the good news of Christmas. It's not –“ Whew, I made it through another
year,” or “I'm celebrating that I've finished all my shopping.” It's not about Rudolph, or Frosty, or Santa,
or The Grinch, its this: Emmanuel, God is with you, God is for you, and God
loves you. It’s the good news that God
saw that because of sin and evil, the world needed a savior and God sent one.
Christmas declares that God knew that the best way to
communicate with us would be to come in person.
If God had wanted to communicate with birds, he would have become a
bird, if God had wanted to communicate with dogs, he would have become a dog,
if God had wanted to communicate with cats, he would have become a cat, but God
wanted to communicate with human beings, so God became one of us in Jesus. Like when comedian Billy Crystal’s daughter
got a call from him saying there was a birthday present waiting for her on the
front porch. She was on the east coast
and thought her father was calling from the west coast. She walked out and saw a large box on the
porch. When she opened it, out jumped
Billy Crystal?
Listen to how the Gospel writer John speaks of
Christmas: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. What has come into being in him
was life, and the life was the light of all people. And the Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace
and truth.”
Listen to what the letter of Hebrews says about
Christmas: “Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the
prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he
appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the world. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the
exact imprint of God’s very being, who sustains all things by his powerful word.”
Christmas announces that God the creator condescended, bent
down and got involved with His creatures.
That the God of the heavens decided to get his hands dirty. The immortal God took on human
mortality. God stepped out of eternity
into our time. God showed up in our
neighborhood. Christian music like
George Frederick Handel’s Messiah, Christian art like the Adoration of the Magi
and the Adoration of the Shepherds, and Christmas carols honor and rejoice in
the greatest birth the world has ever known.
Christmas celebrates God’s love. God loved us so much, that
he came to earth as a human. Christmas
celebrates God’s revelation, God revealed himself to us in Jesus so we could
see who God is and what God is like and come to know him and trust him and
follow him and worship him and love him.
Christmas celebrates God’s purpose - God sent Jesus as our Savior to
save us from our sins, to enlist us in Christ's service, and to instill hope and
joy and strength and peace for our lives today and forever.
Christmas declares the truth that Jesus Christ is truly God
and truly human. It affirms the unique
unity of God and humanity in this one person.
That is a theological way of saying as scripture does that Jesus was
born of a virgin. Being born accents
Jesus’ humanity and being born of a virgin accents his divinity. Christmas declares that Jesus is the long
awaited Messiah, the anointed One of Israel, as foretold by the prophets.
A Pastor writes: “I had
to go to church and our 5 year old daughter Lauren remained home with her
mother. When I arrived back home later
that day, I saw that our daughter had placed figures of her miniature nativity
set at each person's plate. Apparently
shepherds, wise men, cows, and sheep would be joining us for dinner. Then she raced into the kitchen. "Daddy,
Daddy!" "Jesus is missing!
We've looked everywhere and can't find him!" As I glanced at the supper table, I didn't
see baby Jesus anywhere!" We looked high and low. Then I zeroed in on her backpack which she
carries everywhere she goes. In it she
transports her hair bows, her Barbie, her plastic wallet, and gummi bears. And there, at the bottom of the pack was baby
Jesus, ready to go with her to preschool the next day."
“I later realized that
Jesus wasn't "missing in action" at all. He was in the middle of the action. His place
in Lauren's backpack was divinely appropriate.
In the midst of all the symbols of my daughter's interests and
activities was the Lord of life.”
“Christmas reminds us that Jesus is right there in the middle of it
all. We are not alone. God sent Jesus to us and He remains with us
in all our days.”
Don’t let the pressure and stress and preparations of the
season, cause you to miss out on the good news, the joy of Christmas. In the light of this busy season, in closing,
listen to a version of the 23rd Psalm that I think is so appropriate for Advent. “The lord is my pace setter . . . I shall not
rush. He makes me stop for quiet
intervals, He provides me with images of stillness which restore my
serenity. He leads me in the way of
efficiency through calmness of mind and his guidance is peace. Even though I
have a great many things to accomplish each day, I will not fret, for his
presence is here, His timelessness, his all importance will keep me in
balance. He prepares refreshment and
renewal in the midst of my activity by anointing my mind with his oils of
tranquility. My cup of joyous energy overflows. Truly harmony and effectiveness
shall be the fruits of my hours, for I shall walk in the Pace of my Lord and
dwell in his house for ever. The author
is Mother Teresa.
“Long ago, God spoke
to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last
days he has spoken to us by a Son. He is
the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, who
sustains all things by his powerful word.”
This is the one we shall honor in the coming celebration. Amen!
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