The approaching Christmas festivities deserve a few minutes of meditation. There is something that is probably troubling the conscience of more than a few believers. I am sure that those of you reading these lines are concerned that Christmas has become year after year an entirely mundane and commercial event. What used to be a time of waiting to celebrate God’s coming into the world (Advent) is now a marathon of Christmas parties, meals and shopping. The television is constantly bombarding us with advertisements encouraging us to buy more and faster, supermarkets are filled with everything imaginable, mailboxes are overflowing with toy catalogues… and we start to get overwhelmed with thoughts of buying lottery tickets, the most beautiful dresses for the holidays, the best delicacies for the table… In short, it’s the winter holidays. But where is Christ in all this? -How can we make next Christmas a “God’s way” celebration?
We all agree that some of the excesses should be toned down not a little if we want to emphasise that, first and foremost, what we are celebrating is the “birthday” of Jesus, the son of God, the Saviour of the world, born of the Virgin Mary. With this in mind, there are two ways of looking at Christmas. Both are good. But, properly understood, the second is the preferable one. Let me explain why.
For some, the way to reposition Christ within Christmas would require the elimination of all pagan adherence that has been culturally constructed around it: excessive spending, Father Christmas, luxury and waste, stereotypical greetings, sentimental appeals, endless and unnecessary gifts, copious meals and their excesses… They argue that, in the midst of all this, Christ evaporates altogether.
But not all of us agree exactly. Christmas, besides being the “birthday” of Jesus – and therefore more than enough cause for the greatest celebration – is the feast of the incarnation. Christians see it as a time to celebrate humanity and the goodness of all creation. If the singing and the merriment were removed, ironic though it may seem, the meaning of Christmas would not reach the world, nor would it reach us, as emphatically. Someone wrote that “a Christmas spirit that is celebrated naked would go unnoticed. It needs a little mistletoe to show itself“.
In short, the spirit of Christmas benefits from all the excess and fuss around it. Though it doesn’t stop there, the lights, the carols, the lit candles, the presents, the meals with family and friends… all help to highlight an essential truth: God enters our world and makes it all holy and good.
Juan Carlos cmf
(PHOTO: @Franx)
