Christmas has become a celebration of the holy and secular. For the faithful, it's singing hymns like O Come All Ye Faithful, Oh Holy Night, and Little Town of Bethlehem. For others, it is time to observe Advent, the celebration of Immanuel, God with us, and the soul stirring joy as we embrace the reality of the truth as written in the scriptures.
To others, songs like Here Comes Santa Claus and Jingle Bells are familiar. We celebrate the opportunity to do good for those who are on the margins of life. We binge watch television movies like those on Hallmark Channel that are sugary sweet and predictable. I wonder, do our entertainment choices reveal our hunger for love and happy endings?
Then, we look at our Christmas trees which display how comfortable we have become in blending the holy and secular on our trees. Our ornaments can be a confusing mix and jumble of messages. For example, at the top of our tree, there is an angel that gracefully looks down on all the trimmings. Angels of varying sizes and shapes are wearing gingham, glitter, fabric, and tinsel. Some angles are made of yarn and others are shaped from plastic molds. Yet... there are so many scriptures in the Old Testament and the New Testament that point to angels.
And so goes the list as switch back and forth from holy to secular to embrace this season of the year.
The wonder of the season is to embrace that the Messiah ... God with us... Immanuel.
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