I read an article on line today and it best speaks on what Christmas is and is not so I reprint it here…
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Christmas is about love, charity, promise and giving
By Gordon Meriwether – Editorial Columnist – Culpepper Star Exponent
Published: December 23, 2010
As the celebration of Jesus, the Christ’s birth, approaches, I again must challenge myself to hold my course remembering what this day is really all about — not about the must-have gift I would give to my family and friends. Let’s reflect very briefly on our Christmas.
Christmas is about LOVE, unconditional, uncompromising love: the love a mother for her newborn Son, the love of a husband for his wife, the love of an ancient people for their God, and the love of a God for His people, sending His only Son to be with us, to be one of us. Love, absolute, unconditional love … today as it was 2010 Christmases ago. Christmas is about the love we each have for our families and friends, for our community and everything that makes fair Camelot so special. But most importantly Christmas is about the unconditional love God continues to give us each day. Christmas is about love.
Christmas is about HOPE, the hope of a young couple just starting out in their lives together, the hope of a people in their God’s deliverance from their oppressors, the hope in future free of evil and turmoil, the hope of tomorrow. Today, as in times past, Christmas gives us hope for better days on the horizon, days we can we can count on and dreams we can realize. Christmas is about hope.
Christmas is about CHARITY, the charity of an innkeeper in sharing the only available space in town with a young, impoverished traveling couple, the charity of a husband for his wife’s comfort, the charity of the shepherds in praising the newborn Christ, the charity of the wise men in providing gifts to the baby, and the charity of God to send His Son to show His love for His people. I see Christmas charity expressed every day in the kindness and generosity of this community in the outreach to each other in times of trouble and the outpouring of kindness to strangers. Christmas is about charity.
Christmas is about PROMISE, the promise of new life, the promise of a Messiah, the promise of a world turned upside down, the promise of our God fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, the promise of things to come, the promise of each of us in our future, the promise to care for each other with Christ-like love and compassion, the promise to make the Christ difference in the lives of those around us, every minute of every day. This is the promise of Christmas.
Finally, Christmas is about GIVING, the giving of unconditional love by a mother and father to their children, the giving of hope to the downtrodden of our times, the giving of charity to the less fortunate, the giving of promise to the community and each other. God has given us ultimate gift: the Birth of Jesus. Christmas is about giving.
This Christmas, like all Christmases in my lifetime, gets caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping, cooking, decorating and family fellowship. Let’s take the time to remember what Christmas is really about. Join me on Christmas morning in reading out loud the Christmas story (Luke 2: 1-20) and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. — Gordon Meriwether
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I Hope Your Christmas This Year Is Full of Joy and Cheer…
Light & Love
Rev Dan
