The "War on Christmas" | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: Jesus not only brought God, but brought God to the world of human suffering - and not just the physical kind but the spiritual kind of well - and that is worth celebrating!
As for the manger scene in the pubic square, let us remember there were no manger scenes until Francis of Assisi staged one. It is a sacramental, not a sacrament. Indeed, iconoclasts would say it is a sin against the second commandment (although Catholics locate it in the first).
In truth, the entire Christian season is a hijacking of the far more ancient season of Yule - the celebration of the solstice. Christianizing this feast is an attempt to make Christ the Light of the world who banishes the darkness, rather than the Sun. Of course, the Church is thereby buying into astrology rather than leaving it be.
Giving gifts to children is a very new thing (rather than using St. Nick's day for candy and Three Kings Day for bigger presents. Doing so in America came about due to increasing material prosperity and the end of child labor.
AA members, who are often badly affected by the shortening of the day, hold extra meetings, called Alcathons, during both the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Holidays (and some of them are "spiritual not religious" - yet they still call the holidays by their names). If you want to see the height of Christmas spirituality, go to an open AA meeting on Christmas (most of them are nowadays).
No comments:
Post a Comment