Christmas Time is the celebration by Christians of the birth of Jesus Christ. He was born in a manger to Joseph and Mary. Christians celebrate December 25th as the birth of a man whom they claim to be the son of God. Other religions would disagree that he was a God, but none would disagree that he was a great prophet. His message was simple: love everyone: sinner, enemy, friend and family alike. The Christmas season today has become associated with gift giving, family traditions, Santa Claus, Christmas stories, Christmas trees, burning candles, holiday lights and the holiday shopping season. Christmas is said to be a time for children, who tend to be the recipients of the most gifts and toys. We all enjoy seeing the expression on the faces of little children as they unwrap a special gift with pretty wrapping paper and ribbons and bows. However, during the Christmas season, many spend a great deal of time trying to find the right gifts for their older friends and loved ones as well.
Some people feel that Christmas Time has become contaminated by the incessant advertisings and commercialism that litter the holiday season. Shopping used to start after Thanksgiving; it now starts after Halloween, a full month earlier. Indeed, it is easy amid the hustle and bustle to lose sight of the main reason to celebrate this season. Jesus Christ brought a message of love and peace to the world. It is ironic that during times of war and strife many people preaching his message have been sarcastically labeled as peaceniks, doves and war protestors. These labels are applied as though peace and love for other human beings was a bad thing. If Jesus were alive today, would he be a peace protestor or would he be a war supporter? Would Jesus be in the frontline of the anti-war movements or would he be Pro-War? Would Jesus be a dove or a hawk?
If you celebrate Christmas, how much time do you put aside to celebrate the message of Love and Peace that Jesus brought to the world? Is Christmas Time for you a celebration of the Peace Message or do you support a War Message? Do you work for peace or do you work for violence? Does your belief in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness extend to all human beings or just those of your own religion and nationality? This Christmas Time, will you spend as much of your energy on peace and love as you do shopping and putting up your Christmas tree and household decorations? How will you extend the message of peace and love to others in the world this Christmas Time?
John, Your message is good about Jesus teaching us to love, even our enemies. But what about those who kill and become martyrs in the name of their god? Are we to turn the other cheek? I think the answer is very complex and not easily answered.
ReplyDeleteWhat would Jesus Do Lou? I am no saint, so I will not turn the other cheek. But what is the only way to end war and violence? Has 6000 years of warfare and retaliation ended anything except more war and retaliation? The great conquerors of history were nothing more than ego maniacal butchers. ALexander, Napoleon, Peter the Great, Ghenghis Khan, Caesar, all massacred thousands of people in the name of conquest. Something wrong with our basic values when we subscribe to these people as "heroic" and endlessly extol their virtues while ignoring their cruelties to humankind.
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