Change In Foundations

When I was a child, growing into my adult life I heard the statement: Christmas is for the children. This likely originated in the awareness of the birth of a child long ago who became eminent in what he decided to do. The gifts of the Magi became inspirational to the interpretation. It seems clear that the children are featured at Christmas time, and much of the tradition of Christmas is related to appeal of light, color, tinsel, toys, programming, food (candy) and the like focused on child fantasy and expectation with the overlap to the adults, especially family plans for the holiday. Christmas has largely morphed into a holiday from a holy day. Business has replaced the church in much of the interpretation of the day and season. If business does not do well during the season, the year does not fare well for many businesses. The change in the interpretations of meaning continues with emphasis moving somewhat to Thanksgiving for family reunions, and the Christmas period to Season’s Greetings and projection to a New Year. Many children and adults as well, have no information about the birth and substantive meaning of Jesus to the world. As American citizens become more pluralistic in representation there is deliberate evasion of any religious identity with the gift-giving day. These observations do not deprecate the joys represented in the accents that have accumulated for Christmas, including decline in crime, attention to some of the needs of the poor, and the attention to others than our selves related to the season. The real reason for the season can remain and flourish without losing the human traditions that have been piled on, and seem to lift society to better attitudes than would otherwise pertain. (I warmed many years ago to the Christmas Swedish Julata.)

Change, a major theme for these Pages, is inevitable. We are not well gifted to determine where change is to be engaged and when it is to be rejected. Some things must not change if we are to live by truth, love honor, reality, integrity, faith, service and devotion. Truth must not move away from us toward lies. What is useful even in mild prevarication? How is genuine devotion to God to be changed in meditation for human interests, and gain the approval of God? How is good stewardship assisted by the accumulations and excesses of our lives? There are some matters related to nature, life and God’s order that do not change, and never will. A sign of our maturity is to know what may be changed and what may not be changed. It is important in this perception that Christians, as individuals and relationships in the church to do something more in rescuing Christmas for its original meaning, something that may be done while keeping human customs that mean so much to us, and in their own way, serve for good. That which is good for us in the mortal context may have little to do in the immortal. We submit to folly when our incremental shifting leads us to changes we would never agree to if the end were perceived from the beginning. Knowing and using change where it is needed and applicable is a necessity of leadership and progress. Applying it in the understanding of God and eternity is quite another matter, requiring a different context than that found in the human situation. That situation is current, subject to change, which intimates that what is in nature only will pass away. What God invokes for us will not pass away.

On Christmas day, there should be scheduled in Christian churches the sounds of the great music of the Church, with interspersions of Scripture reading and a special prayer related to the meaning of the day. (Both the music and the readings must be done well, with the preceding practice and critique of competence to read and sing well.) Change has taken away the Christmas bells that ought to be sounded on Christmas day for a minute every hour from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Lighting should express something, perhaps with the use of candles. Visuals might be used to show the art of history related to the holy family. Ads should appear in the public media noting Christmas meaning and programming. There ought to be an attempt to relate the day to the memory of the fact that on a day long ago there was born a baby who would in the ultimate become the one person from God who could offer himself as redeemer of all persons. In the course of annual and special emphasis, well ordered, the church might reiterate to society the understanding of the day in its eternal meaning. For some persons, immortality may begin with the story.