Merry Christmas

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" - Luke 2:10-14


This is Christmas. It's not just a day. It's not a single hour. It's not a single place. It doesn't have to have snow, or a tree, or mistletoe, or even presents. It's a spirit - an auora.

We have this day (and season) to prepare then celebrate the birth of a Christ child. A little baby, born over two millenia ago in a little town called Bethlehem. We celebrate not only that this child was born, but for what he grew to become. In the same way we exchange gifts today, Jesus is a gift to us... the first Christmas present. He is a gift that can never be matched - one that only God himself is capable of. He came to give us the good news, that there is a God who, in the words of a tomato named Bob, "loves us very much."

Let us not forget this Christmas the twenty-two chapters of Luke that follow the story of Christ's birth. May we remember that this is the beginning of a story... a story that lives on today within you and me. A story that is filled with love, joy, peace, and so much more.

We've spent an entire month - since the day after Thanksgiving - preparing the way for the birth of a new baby brother to us all. Let us now take a day to welcome this baby... a baby who makes us smile just at the sight of him... who brings joy to everyone who is near... may we invite this little babe into our hearts anew, our brother - from our father. A father who loves us beyond all measure.

This, my friend, is Christmas. May yours be joyous and bright, and may you as well rekindle a life-long love in your brother, God's son, Jesus. Happy birthday bro... in the same way I cannot describe the love you have for me, I can't quite use words to describe the love I have for you. May your birthday be a light for all men, and may the angels still sing, "Glory to God in the highest... and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

merry Christmas to all,
your brother in Christ,
chris

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Goodbyes

I love this time of year. Snow starts creeping further south, football bowls are nearing, great food is everywhere for the eating. It's Christmastime.

Part of this Christmastime, though, comes the end of the academic semester. Graduation happens in December and, for some, their college life comes to an end as they move back towards home and away from all of their new friends. This makes for a difficult time during this season of joy. We will depart from these friends, and may not see them again for some time. We'll no longer pass them on the way to class. We'll no longer see them at church each Sunday. We'll no longer hear words of wisdom, comfort, and solice from them day in and day out. It makes me sad, and I am not alone. Many of us feel this way.

This Christmas (or celebration of capitalism as it has come to be known in America), I've been trying to seek out what Christmas really means to me -- and better yet, what it should mean to me. How are we to celebrate Jesus' birthday? Should we bake a cake? (yum...) Should we light candles? (eh, we already do that a lot) Should we buy lots of presents? (eh, already do that a lot too, just not presents for the birthday boy) What should we do?

So far, I've come to two conclusions. First, birthdays are here for celebration. Joy. Fun. Smiles. To really celebrate Jesus' birthday, we should be happy. Happy that he was born, in a manger, many years ago.

Second, the best way to celebrate the birth of the Christ is to remember Christ and practice Christ. It's what he told us to do. And I can't think of a better way to celebrate someone's birth than by following their wisdom and living it through our own lives. Especially since we're not just celebrating any birthday, but rather the birth of the Son of God.

Part of this celebration, though, brings me to reflecting on the entire life of Christ. Born a little babe in Bethlehem, he would grow up to save the world. Literally. His life tells us a story. A story that doesn't end on a cross, but continues past death. A story that continues to be written today.

We are that story now. Using the words of one of these seniors I will say goodbye to later this month, I must also remember that this goodbye is not really goodbye. Just as Christ defeated death, Christ has paved the way for us all to live in eternity with him and each other. So this is not goodbye. In the spirit of Christmas, the coming of the Son, it is "see you soon." And so we shall.

Merry Christmas,
chris

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