Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1978. július-december (32. évfolyam, 27-50. szám)
1978-12-21 / 49. szám
Thursday, Dec. 21. 1978. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ-------------------A REVIEW OF ART; LITERATURE AND HISTORY - A SUPPLEMENT OF THE MAGYAR SZO JJfpNCfwfsfms Situated in a valley of the majestic Bukk Mountains, amidst a forest of 50.000 acres, Lillafüred is a favorite rest and vacation spot of Hungarian workers and collective farmers. It is operated by the Hungarian Trade Union Federation. Originally it was built as a luxury resort for wealthy people, today thousands of workers are coming here summer and winter alike. The climate is that of the southern slopes of the Alps. It is one of the finest skiing resorts of Hungary. TAKINaHEART TIME Christmas is celebrated on a world-wide basis, even in lands predominantly Hindu, Buddhist, or Mohammedan. The date of Christmas, related as it is to the mid-winter solstice of the sun, is definitely not Hebrew, not Biblical, in its origin. It is because it has no Bible-backing that the Puritans rejected it and penalized anyone who observed Christmas. Its origin goes back to the rejoicing of primitive peoples that the sun, which seemed by its diminishing rays to be leaving, had turned back and by its lengthening rays, was promising the coming of another springtime and harvest. The pagans celebrated that return with lights, fires, evergreen decorations and festivities. They believed that by their celebrations they were inducing the sun to return. The evergreen boughs and the mistletoe were to them symbols of the revival of life. In those ancient times, the celebration was a taking-heart occasion. The people took heart when they saw the sun beginning its return. It is fair to say that Christmas began as a “Taking-Heart Celebration.” At one time the celebration period centered on Tanuary 6; but by the time, about 300 years after Jesus’s birth, the church began to feel that a commemoration of that event would add to its influence, the celebration had moved nearer to the actual solstice date /Dec. 21/ and was taking place around December 25. Since there was no record of Jesus’ birth and the Gospels made no mention of a date, one had to be chosen. What better way to give momentum to the celebration than to use the ancient taking-heart occasion to express the taking heart of people commemorating the birth of one believed to be the Savior. Rightly used, Christmas is set up as a time to open the taps and let love out. In the measure that people do that, Christmas becomes a time when even the neglected and unfortunate can take heart. It becomes a time to look at the way of love. Some of that caring was in the hearts of ancient teachers: in the Hebrew prophet Micah perceiving that to do justly, love, mercy and walk humbly was the great achievement of life, in Socrates forgiving the men who sentenced him to die. All along through time and in our own day, the spirit of goodwill and concern for others has inspired countless noble, heroic and self-sacrificing acts. Hundreds have risked their lives on sea and land, in fires and in mines, in battles against forces of reaction, of fascism to save others. Of them we could indeed say: greater love has no man than this -that a man should give his life for his friends. CORRECTION In our November 2nd issue we published an article “Interpreting Bartók and Kodály”. In the foreword we said that Alexander Farkas is a young Hungarian pianist. This should have read “young Hungarian-American pianist.”
