Cause for Celebration

There are a lot of Christmas songs I find annoying. Frosty the Snowman tops the list. Perhaps I'm offended that a snowman can come to life and marry people when I have to go through four years of seminary to marry people? I'm not sure. And then there are the songs that heap on the guilt like: "So this is Christmas, and what have we done? Another year over, a new one just begun." WOW! That's not what this season is about at all.

Which begs the question, what IS this season all about? There are those buttons, bumper stickers, and tags that say "Jesus is the reason for the season." And while I can't argue with that, I'd hope that Jesus is the reason for our EVERY season. For our entire journey of life. For every day. For every breath.

So what's Christmas about? Why do we celebrate it every year over and over again? Haven't you celebrated it enough times? We know how the story goes. Angels. Mary and Joseph. More angels. Baby born in a manger. Swaddling clothes. Shepherds. Stars. Wise Men. So on. Why keep telling it?

We are surrounded by skeptics and cynics who remind us that Jesus was not born on December 25th 2,000 years ago. It was more likely in the spring of 6BC as opposed to December 25th 1 AD. And then there's the fact that pagans celebrated the winter solstice at this time for many years before the Christians began claiming this season. The first Christmases had no Christmas trees, no ornaments, no stockings, no Santa Claus because St. Nicholas hadn't been born yet, no Christmas carols, no Christmas eve services.

But late Monday evening as I stayed awake and sat outside in the 5 degree weather watching the lunar eclipse, I contemplated the moon and the winter solstice. The winter solstice marks the longest night and the shortest day in the Northern hemisphere each year in earth's trip around the sun. A time to light candles and wait to see if the days will again begin to lengthen. And THIS is when we chose to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ?

And then it hit me, of course this is when we chose to celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. It is when we need him the most. As the evenings grow longer and the days get shorter, and the entire earth is farther away from the hot, hot sun than we are the rest of the year, we need a savior. We need someone to assure us that just as the earth moves back toward the SUN, we move toward the SON. Even our Christmas story is marked by an astrological sign. A star, burning brightly over the place where Jesus lay, guiding people to him.

It makes perfect sense to me, then, that we would choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus now. For Jesus is the light of the world and that causes us to celebrate. That light comes into our darkness. Not just every Christmas morning but in every dark occasion.

That light came to lonely shepherds, working hard on Christmas morning. That light came to two weary parents, who were exhausted by their journey, their angelic encounters, and the task of raising this child. That light came to the town of Bethlehem as the shepherds spread the good news. That light continued to spread as Jesus grew and began ministry. As he died and rose again. As he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with us. As the disciples shared his story.

That light comes to us still. Not just on Christmas each year but in every breath we take in which we fear the darkness is too much. When we are cold, weary, working hard, resting, rejoicing, weeping, or wondering what the point is after all. We can remember the promise that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.

Jesus Christ is born. He is Emmanuel, God with us. This is cause for celebration.