The True Import of the Spirit of Christmas
Everything about that first Christmas was simple," unvarnished, seemingly inconsequential and lost in insignificance. The humble carpenter Joseph and his wife turned away from crowded inns, Marygiving birth to a child in a manger, shepherds watching their fields by night, the threewise men who followed the star of Bethlehem that led them on a journey of discovery, to wherethe infant Jesus lay.
That first Christmas those who came to pay homage were not celebrities; they were not evenmiddle class but they were those who brought up the rear in society. '
The birth of Jesus brought about a revolution of expectations. The first in society were not necessarily *the first in the Kingdom of God, but they had a lasting significance in the scheme ofthings. Every spot was consecrated. There was not only a place for wrestling and a placefor watching, but also a place for waiting.
Everything was given eternal value. In life what seems inconsequential is brushed aside. But, there are some flowers in the garden that just are. They may not grace the table of a king or be set asidefor some grand purpose. But they are a source of deep joy and contentment just by beingthe way they are.
Some human beings are stars, but even the plain and ordinary are invested with an eternal ingnificance.
Christmas is a reminder that each of us is meant to follow our own star in life. What isinvisible to the human eye is visible to the seeking and searching soul. To follow thatstar will bring us to our meeting place with God, which may be unique to us.
God may have a different way of speaking to us because He calls us by name and in away that is unique. Scott Peck said that the right place for us is to be where our deepestdesires and the deepest needs of the world meet.
It is to undertake a journey of discovery within, that leads to the treasure of divinitythat resides within every one of us. We cannot do this, however, without a measureof hope and confidence. We cannot do this without having faith that in life everythingfinally works out to our good.
Mrs Charles Cowman says: "Place your hope and confidence in God. He has no record of failure. Whotold you that the night would never end in day? Who told you that the winter of your discontent should proceed from frost to frost, from snow and ice and hail to deeper snow? Do you not know that day follows night, that floods come after the ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter?"
Christmas is a time to take and lay our burdens away Some may belong to the past, some tothe following day, the following week or the year, which we take upon ourselves.
Christmas brings a message of hope that all that may seem like a heavy load today, meaningless and insignificant, is given eternal significance by a birth that brought meaning to individual history.Nothing is ever lost. Finally, there is only gain.
The spirit of Christmas lies in discovering the fact that nothing is insignificant, ifonly we can place it in perspective; if only we direct ourselves to follow the star of hopeand eternity.
Janina Gomes in The Speaking Tree, Times of India 23/12/06http://spirituality.indiatimes.coni
That first Christmas those who came to pay homage were not celebrities; they were not evenmiddle class but they were those who brought up the rear in society. '
The birth of Jesus brought about a revolution of expectations. The first in society were not necessarily *the first in the Kingdom of God, but they had a lasting significance in the scheme ofthings. Every spot was consecrated. There was not only a place for wrestling and a placefor watching, but also a place for waiting.
Everything was given eternal value. In life what seems inconsequential is brushed aside. But, there are some flowers in the garden that just are. They may not grace the table of a king or be set asidefor some grand purpose. But they are a source of deep joy and contentment just by beingthe way they are.
Some human beings are stars, but even the plain and ordinary are invested with an eternal ingnificance.
Christmas is a reminder that each of us is meant to follow our own star in life. What isinvisible to the human eye is visible to the seeking and searching soul. To follow thatstar will bring us to our meeting place with God, which may be unique to us.
God may have a different way of speaking to us because He calls us by name and in away that is unique. Scott Peck said that the right place for us is to be where our deepestdesires and the deepest needs of the world meet.
It is to undertake a journey of discovery within, that leads to the treasure of divinitythat resides within every one of us. We cannot do this, however, without a measureof hope and confidence. We cannot do this without having faith that in life everythingfinally works out to our good.
Mrs Charles Cowman says: "Place your hope and confidence in God. He has no record of failure. Whotold you that the night would never end in day? Who told you that the winter of your discontent should proceed from frost to frost, from snow and ice and hail to deeper snow? Do you not know that day follows night, that floods come after the ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter?"
Christmas is a time to take and lay our burdens away Some may belong to the past, some tothe following day, the following week or the year, which we take upon ourselves.
Christmas brings a message of hope that all that may seem like a heavy load today, meaningless and insignificant, is given eternal significance by a birth that brought meaning to individual history.Nothing is ever lost. Finally, there is only gain.
The spirit of Christmas lies in discovering the fact that nothing is insignificant, ifonly we can place it in perspective; if only we direct ourselves to follow the star of hopeand eternity.
Janina Gomes in The Speaking Tree, Times of India 23/12/06http://spirituality.indiatimes.coni
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