The good “excess” of Christmas

The lights in the streets and the sparkle in the shops have been heralding the arrival of Christmas for some time now. Everything heralds festivities. Despite all the objections to consumerism and wastefulness, we must admit that, as human beings, we have an irresistible, healthy and God-given need to celebrate, to celebrate special times, holidays, commemorations and a long etcetera, in addition to Sundays. The feast, the celebration, does not belong to the order of everyday life, but it needs to be supported by the effort of daily work, by the routine that alternates occupations and worries, in order to get out of that prison and for its rituals and traditions to connect us with other people. In this way we can enjoy with them that deep meaning that makes life worth living.

Christmas is a sabbtah; it is sabbatical in the biblical sense. Jesus had to remind us forcefully that “the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath“. It is not a threat, but a wise recommendation not to be ashamed to enjoy the feast because in this way it also glorifies God and allows us to dance the dance of life to a different tune.

There are times in life, and they should not be exceptional, that we should set aside only for rest and conversation, for joy and festivity, for colour and dance. Moreover, there are times that even allow for a little excess. Jesus made this clear when his followers objected to the “unnecessary” lavishness of the woman who anointed him. All cultures, rich and poor alike, have always had their festive seasons when they put these words (spoken or unspoken) into practice: The poor you will always have with you, but today is a day to feast! Christmas is that day.

A beautiful book about Christmas by an American writer tells the story of a family who wanted to celebrate an alternative Christmas one year. They didn’t set up the nativity scene or the tree, or hang ornaments, or sing carols, or have a special dinner, or give presents. They gathered to share a simple, quiet meal on Christmas Day. When asked by friends how they had spent it, one of the family replied, “Psss, well, what can I tell you?”. Another, speaking perhaps more honestly, said, “We lacked something to fill our emptiness“.

Among human beings there is a God-given pressure to celebrate; and that pressure is healthy. It keeps us aware that we were not made to work and suffer, but for more, much more, without the need to hand out Vaseline and morphine in the face of life’s setbacks. Let us turn this Christmas Eve into a crash course in the subject of joy. Let us learn a lesson we need: Let’s give ourselves a good old-fashioned feast as we celebrate the birth of the Son of God.

 

Juan Carlos cmf

(PHOTO: Sandra de Moya)

 

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