The Parson's Page
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Sermons
  • C David Hess
    • A Raging Moderate
  • About

The Mixed Blessing of Christmas    

12/1/2003

 
Christmas is a religious holiday but also a cultural one. This is a mixed blessing. On one hand, the Christian church has the blessing of having the world’s attention like it seldom does at any other time of the year. The holiday can be an effective tool by which we can communicate the story of Jesus. On the other hand, our culture often uses the celebration of the holiday to demean it and drain it of its significance.

An example of the latter would be the Toys R Us commercial which depicts a family lying in sleeping bags looking up at the night sky. One of the parents comments on how the vastness of the starry sky makes us think of our insignificance and the meaning of it all. During this special moment, the camera pans over to Geoffrey the Giraffe, the Toys R Us mascot, who is lying in his own sleeping bag looking up at the stars. He remarks that the stars remind him of the blue star specials at Toys R Us. Then he breaks out singing, “Kumbaya.” The tune is the same one we know, but the lyrics have been changed to “Someone’s playing with toys, Kumbaya.” Yes, the commercial is sort of cute, but it is also terribly profane.

It is in the same vane as other commercials that utilize the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Music meant to proclaim, “The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ...and He shall reign for ever and ever,” is now used to sell paper towels and such.

This struggle over the meaning of the holiday is nothing new. The genius of the church has been shown through the centuries by its ability to baptize pagan holidays and symbols and use them to proclaim the Christian message. (Ever wonder why we celebrate Christmas on December 25?) It was the church’s way of heeding Isaiah’s command: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!”

So once again this season, let us invite our friends and neighbors to lift their eyes heavenward and contemplate the meaning of it all. Let’s be sure that their attention is not so stuck on the blue star specials at Toys R Us that they miss the star of Bethlehem.


©2003 C. David Hess

    Parsonally Speaking

    Categories

    All
    Current Events/Hot Issues
    Other Articles
    Personal Confessions
    The Bible & Christianity
    The Church
    The Darker Side
    The Lighter Side
    The Movies

    Archives

    September 2014
    October 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    April 2011
    December 2010
    June 2010
    April 2010
    December 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    September 2008
    June 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    May 2007
    March 2007
    January 2007
    December 2006
    September 2006
    June 2006
    May 2006
    March 2006
    February 2006
    January 2006
    December 2005
    September 2005
    April 2005
    March 2005
    November 2004
    June 2004
    May 2004
    April 2004
    March 2004
    December 2003
    October 2003
    September 2003
    May 2003
    March 2003
    January 2003
    September 2002
    August 2002
    April 2002
    October 2001
    September 2001
    July 2001
    March 2001
    December 2000
    November 2000
    September 2000
    August 2000
    May 2000
    March 2000
    January 2000
    November 1999
    April 1999
    March 1999
    December 1998
    September 1998
    August 1998
    May 1998
    April 1998
    March 1998
    February 1998
    January 1998
    December 1997
    August 1997
    June 1997
    May 1997
    April 1997
    January 1997
    December 1996
    November 1996
    October 1996
    September 1996
    August 1996
    July 1996
    June 1996
    May 1996
    April 1996
    March 1996
    February 1996
    January 1996
    December 1995
    November 1995
    August 1995
    April 1995
    January 1994
    February 1993
    January 1993


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.