I must apologize for my long hiatus from the blogosphere, assuming anyone actually noticed or cared that I was gone. A combination of business and lack of inspiration contributed to my absence, but I am back with some musings I have done over the past month.
What is Christmas? Why do we celebrate it? Does it make us feel happy? Why? These questions have a variety of answers, all of which contribute a different perspective. Christmas fundamentally is a religious holiday, but it has a secular flavor as well, or at least an ambiguous religious flavor. Contrary to popular belief, the concept of Santa Claus stems from the religious tradition and is, to me, a terrific snapshot of part of the meaning of Christmas. The emphasis on gift-giving, goodwill, and charity that accompanies Santa Claus certainly has positive value.
But what if we look beyond the man in the red suit. We may find the Christian church tradition which adopted the 25th of December as a celebration of the Holy Nativity. Whether or not Jesus was born at this time of the year is irrelevant; the celebration does not become invalid just because we celebrate on the wrong month. After all, American Independence Day was July 2, yet we celebrate on July 4. But I digress. The Christian church adopted a pagan festival which occurred on December 25 and reinvented it as a celebration of the birth of Christ. In so doing, the church captured the essence of Christmas, perhaps without realizing it.
The church took something old and familiar (a pagan festival) and gave it a new meaning (a celebration of the birth of Christ). In the same way, at the original Nativity, God took something old and familiar (the birth of a child) and gave it a new meaning (the coming of God in human form). Previously, birth had still been amazing and awe-inspiring, but this particular birth took on new meaning. It demonstrated the desire God had to be connected with humanity, a desire that drove him to shed the glory of His majesty for a time and to be born as poor carpenter's son. That act had many spiritual implications, especially about 33 years later during Passover (post forthcoming around Easter most likely), but it had many practical inspirations as well. God's great love for humanity is an example of the humble love we should have for each other. His goal of bringing peace and reconciliation to humanity should become our goal as well. And his efforts to connect with humanity should not be spurned but rather reciprocated with humble, contrite, and grateful hearts.
Whether or not you accept the fact that God actually did become a man, I hope you can at least appreciate the example such a "story" set for us. We can all agree that a world of kindness, charity, and peace is to be greatly desired. That is the true spirit of Christmas, and it derives from the story of the Holy Nativity. In the midst of the packages and food of the Christmas season, I hope that each person can demonstrate those qualities towards their fellow humans. And may we not forget the significance of God's act of Incarnation. May we strive to connect with Him as he strove to connect with us. That is the true source of peace and goodwill on Earth.
