May Your "Merry" Be Holy
You have probably followed some of the cultural controversy over “Happy Holidays” vs. “Merry Christmas.” I must admit that the bottom line in all of that does resonate with me and (here’s a first!) I agree with the activist/evangelical Christians who are concerned that the celebration of Christmas has become (or is rapidly becoming) merely a time of secular good cheer. Christmas has indeed been hijacked and we must lay claim to it. The commercialization of Christmas has long been an objection on the part of the faithful, and it is primarily that point at stake in the present debate. I guess the main difference now is the growing consequence of “political correctness” in the public arena and the fact that commercial culture has stopped even trying to keep Christmas in the season.
But it’s not just a cultural debate. We must be intentional about what Christmas means to us. With all of the evocative décor, nostalgia, and gift-giving, we can so easily get side-tracked away from the message of the Gospel that “Christ is born!” Emmanuel, God with us! I’m all for the merriest of Christmases, complete with parties, nostalgia, family-time, and decorations everywhere. But Christians do these things in response to a holy truth. We hear the proclamation of our Lord’s birth and we offer that proclamation to the world. We can offer it because we know it. Christmas joy is about an encounter with the holy, and knowing that this holiness is not only about God but also about humanity. May you and yours know this holiness and be merry indeed in God’s gift.
Faithfully, Shannon +
