Erős Vár, 1934 (4. évfolyam, 7-15. szám)
1934-11-01 / 14-15. szám
6Tik oldal. ERŐS VÁR 1Q34 November—December YOUNG PEOPLE This col mn is c.nducted especially for young p ople. I; is intended for him who has stranged from the pith. TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BY JOHN GÉZA ORMAY This is the season of the year when we begin to think of our friends and relatives to whom we expect to give presents for Christmas. We think more about other people now than at any other time. Giving is the keynote of the month. Amid flashing singns and the bustle of shops gayly decked with red, green and silver, we are quite apt to forget the true significance of giving gifts. In any religion, we find numerous holidays, fasts, feasts and religious customs, usually symbolical, all intended to remind the follower of some important event or fact upon which his creed is based. Christmas arid giving are one. No symbol in itself is sacred. It is used merely to promote a certain condition in the mind. For instance, if we make a habit of folding our hands while praying earnestly, later, by merely folding our hands, we can clear our minds of inharmonious thoughts, and thus hell) bring about the attitude essential to prayer. In this way, clasping the hands has become the symbol for prayer. By thinking only certain kinds of thoughts on certain holidays, holidays may also become symbols of religious ideas. This is how empty acts were transformed into those having deep meaning. It is quite easy to depart from the path by neglecting the thoughts that we think while we go through rituals. Sometimes people perform them but knowingly neglect thinking the thoughts they should think. This is the very reason for Martin Luther’s protesting against the the corrupt religious customs of his time. What is the significance of Christmas? What is the lesson taught to us by it? What thoughts should we think in connection with this holiday? The real meaning of this holiday is not understood by everybody. In Europe, the “Christ Child’’ is the one who brings Christmas presents instead of Santa Claus. Jesus, the son of Eternal brings gifts to men. The Son is born unto men to bring them the message of redemption, which may be represented by a gift. Let’s not forget the element of unselfishness here, for Christ died a death not to make himself shine more brightly through eternity, but for our salvation. The perfect example of unselfish giving has been exemplified by the Saviours crucifixion. This is the one point I leant to bring out in this article of unselfish giving. None of us ever expect to die on the cross for others. In fact it would be quite futile, it woidd be useless sacrifice of valuable life. Christs mission had been fulfilled when He died, we have yet to evolve spiritually which we can do best here. What we can do is to serve, unselfish service is the best form of giving. Our reward will be the natural result of our endevours, it should never be the aim of our laborings. Since the exchange of gifts has come into practice, we often give merely from a sense of duty or with the secret hope of relieving . . . The other day, I bought a present for a friend. 1 wonder if I would have given in the same sense of charity, had I known definitely, that he would not give me a present this Christmas. We must guard ourselves from falling prey to selfish motives by careful analysis of our every action. The desire to serve always comes from the depths of our souls. It is not connected with any material form such as seasons, time or life, or moods. In this season of good-will, let us try to kindle this unvarying flame of Love, which is really what we have been speaking of all this time, so that we will not have to depend on reminders to give, the way our Master taught us to, nineteen hundred years ago.
