It is Christmas time, so I endeavor to be more cautious and charitable than I ever am. And my intention is not to throw anyone under the bus with this writing. But I have been wanting to say what I'm about to say for a very long time. I say it in support of joy. I say it in support of people. And I say it in support of Christmas itself.
For 14 years, every Christmas season, I was force-fed a diet that consisted of guilt, shame, and stern warnings. I, and roughly 125 other people, during the Advent season, were reminded that millions of people around the world suffer the heart-wrenching, spirit-debilitating effects of depression more so at Christmas time than any other time of the year. And this is a true statement. No doubt, in an effort to inspire compassion and good works toward others, we were reminded, year after year, Christmas after Christmas, that suicides increase at Christmas time (which is not statistically accurate) - that millions weep over the loss of beloved friends and relatives, who can no longer share Christmas gifts or a bowl of eggnog – that the poor, destitute, and homeless, many of whom have always been poor, destitute and homeless, feel most rejected and left out of society during Christmas time, for they cannot afford to celebrate in the same fashion as most can celebrate. Consequently, for 14 years the unparalleled joy of Christmas time, which should have been mine, should have been ours, was diminished, greatly, by an unintentional, yet reckless, spirit of morosity. If there is no joy in Mudville, at Christmas time, there is no unbounded joy at a certain location in Gloucester, Massachusetts. But, again, I speak with no malice, only regret, and I hope, in this writing, that my offered, different perspective might help someone else to remember to and celebrate Christmas the way, I believe, God intends it to be celebrated.
Christmas time is not to be a self-absorbed, selfish time of year. Of all the times of the year to be self-absorbed, to be selfish, let it not be Christmas time. The holy Child was not given to men by a self-absorbed and selfish God. The Child was a gift to the poor in spirit, and to the lost. The Child came selflessly, and grew selflessly, and lived selflessly, and died selflessly. To The Child, The Man, to The Father, to The Spirit, it was all about others; it was about us. So, to honor The Child, to memorialize and celebrate His birth, His coming, and in keeping with His command to follow Him, we must be all about others, too. Let Christmas time, let Christmas Day, be about others, the depressed, the poor, the destitute, the homeless, and “the least of these.” And not just at Christmas time or upon Christmas Day, but every time of year, every day of the year. For the Christian, all of this should go without saying.
So, in our work, our daily work, we give to the depressed, to the rejected, to the poor, to the destitute, to the homeless, to the lonely, to the forgotten. We provide for them, we pray for them. These are our works. But work is not celebration, neither is celebration work. Work focuses on being sacrificial. Celebration focuses on being thankful and joyous. Sometimes we work – sometimes we celebrate! Sometimes we weep with those that weep, but sometimes we rejoice with those that rejoice. And Christmas time, my friends, is not a time to weep but to rejoice!
During Christmas time, I would submit that our Christian hearts are more bent, naturally, to pray and work for the least among us. So, at Christmas time, our work is most proficient now than any other time of year. How is this so? Because we are Christians, filled and led by the Spirit of God. Christians need no extra, morose reminders to increase at Christmas time the good that they do all year long. The Angels that heralded the birth of The newborn King knew perfectly well that there were depressed souls, poor shepherds, homeless Bethlehem-ites, lonely widows, and pining friends, yet they focused on joy, they advocated joy, they proclaimed joy that night. They put their work aside and they greatly celebrated the coming of The Child born Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace! Should these angels be found guilty of the charge of negligence towards the plight of depressed souls? Should these angels be ashamed of themselves for not taking a short time then, hovering above the sheep, to advocate visiting the the sick and shut-ins? Should this host of angels not be embarrassed to loudly and joyously sing and light up the skies with the divine light of Heaven, over little Bethlehem, when there was so much suffering and misery to be found, not only there, but all over the earth? No, they should not be found guilty, they should not be ashamed, they should not be embarrassed. Their work was over for a time; now it was time to celebrate! We would do well to follow their example. I have nothing against taking the opportunity of Christmas to remind folks to pray for and help others, but I do not think it a good thing to rob Christians of the full joy of Christmas by emphasizing sufferings over thanksgiving and work over celebration. All God's children need a time of refreshing, and what better way to be refreshed than to dance with Fezziwig or toast with Cratchit? What better way to honor the giving of The Child than to give gifts to our loved ones?!
My brotherly counsel to you is not to allow any well-intentioned person to diminish within you the joy of Christmas. For over 2000 years, regardless of what date we chose to celebrate, the birth of Jesus Christ has been celebrated by the angels of heaven. And as is done in heaven, may it be done on earth. God rest he merry, gentleman (and ladies), let nothing you dismay. Remember, Christ our Savior, was born on Christmas Day, to save us all from Satan's power, when we had gone astray. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!
Sing your carols; choose, joyfully purchase, and give your gifts; bake your pies; deck your halls; ornament your trees; cook your feasts; kiss under your mistletoes; light up your logs; dance; drink; be merry and light of heart, for it is Christmas time - the fat-est, most wonderful time of the year!
The time of work focus comes, as it should and always will. This is the time of focused celebration!
A very merry Christmas to you all! God bless us, everyone!
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