From deep in the southern hemisphere, the Zornes would like to wish you and yours a tremendously Merry and joy-filled Christmas! This time of year we hear the jingling bells of the cluttered thinking of our 21st century mind. My concern is that the Church wags its head as it watches our society unfurl a whole gambit of responses and approaches to Christmas. We are first perplexed by the persecution we are facing because the ACLU has once more banned some church’s nativity scene from public property. Then, we are aggravated by the materialism and ridiculousness of our secular society’s attempt to celebrate Christmas (mind you without a mass and without a Christ); this is often accompanied by the politically correct debate over whether it is “insensitive†to wish someone “Merry Christmas†or should we stick to the less offensive “Happy Holidays.†Some try to maintain a Christian mooring during the whole thing, and they have a Christmas play with cute kids, bad theology, classic carols, and hot cocoa afterwards. We are encouraged to remember that Christmas isn’t about the “Ho, ho, ho’s†of some red-suited Santa, but that “Jesus is the reason for the season!â€
And so, we have many Christian’s that are left uncertain of how or if they can, or if they should celebrate Christmas. I have watched as Christians have begun to treat Christmas in much the same way they treat Halloween: hands off, hide in the basement, shy away, and duck your head so as not to be seen. However, I would like to submit that Christian’s ought to be the most robust celebrators of this holy-day with the jolliest of grins creasing our faces and unashamedly giving generously to our families, friends, and neighbors. [Read more…] about A Weary World Rejoices
