I asked my Jewish friend how she celebrates the holidays:
her husband's family provides the traditional Hannukah meal while her mother throws an extravagant Christmas celebration--with the decorated, lighted tree and lots of brightly wrapped presents. She said, "I grew up with the same Christmas as my Christian friends, with everything except Jesus."
I understood completely!
Because the church of my childhood forbade any mention of Jesus's birth in the month of December, let alone any external display of holiday religiosity, my family's underground Christmas had a distinctly secular focus.
While some Christians are up in arms about eliminating Christ from Christmas, I suspect that certain other church members have finally made their point!
I like what C.S.Lewis wrote in That Hideous Strength:
Everyone begins as a child by liking Weather. You learn the art of disliking it as you grow up. Haven't you ever noticed it on a snowy day? The grown-ups are all going about with long faces, but look at the children - and the dogs? THEY know what the snow's made for.
2 Comments:
I feel so gifted to worship at a church where Christ's incarnation will be central to our worship this morning.
I'm with you - too many in our fellowship have approached the idea of Christ and Christmas with a "separate but equal doctrine" and it's just absurd.
Merry Christmas!
Yep, I grew up in the same church as you--it was very Christian--yet we only talked about the birth of Jesus in summer. Go figure. I wasn't allowed to say "Merry Christmas", but was allowed to say "Happy Holidays"? Didn't we know that holiday was holy day?
I do celebrate Immanuel now on Dec 25--how wonderful HE is!!!
Post a Comment
<< Home