Magyar Egyház, 1959 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1959-12-01 / 12. szám

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

7

MAGYAR

CHURCH

Stephen Szőke:

Christmas - - - (Ei'lr lirattun nr tExprrtrnrr

Hark! the herald angels sing,

Glory to the new born King;

Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!

By the time Christmas Day arrives some people are tired of Christmas carols. I hope you are not. As you go about your preparations, may they be shopping for gifts for your loved ones, or cooking and baking for the holidays, or cleaning the house even, and certainly while you are doing good for others or engaged in church work — I hope that you will remember the reason for all this and that you, too, will hum the melody or sing the song, “Glory to the new born King!”

There were times when the Christmas preparations were less like chores and more like a pleasure. As we grow older we begin to reminisce more and more, especially about Christmas. We remember the simple joys of the preparation, the inexpensive little gifts we bought or hoped to receive, how the kitchen smelled as mother was cooking, how we waited for or joined the car oilers, how our parents or grandparents, with one single act or gesture of love, made our holiday a happy one. These and many other things made our Christmases memorable and dear to us. They still do.

There are more memories to be created and more to be remembered. Circumstances may be different, but the spirit is the same. Generations may change but Christmas never changes: not in its essence, nor in its message. Of course, today most everything is on a higher scale: our expectations as well as the pricetags. We have the tree covered with many colored electric lights, the home with beautiful decorations, we have more and expensive presents far beyond the expectations of even twenty years ago. But we have the same family gatherings, we still like the carols and participate in the worship services — and the message is the same, not only “peace on earth” but “God and sinners reconciled!”

Thank God that Christmas remains essentially the same. And though, the lovely atmosphere of Christmases gone by and their repetition in the present may be regarded sentimental—thank Ged that we still have that. It is a starting point for a deeper understanding of this highly spiritual experience.

Of course, there are some changes connected with Christmas. Many of our ways are constantly changing: working conditions and leisure hours, family life and recreation, church life and customs. But what disturbes us most is the way some people celebrate Christmas and the way the business world prepares for it. But while it may be good to be critical about it, it is not enough to condemn it.

First of all, not every one is a Christian in America; there are about 75 millions who are not, not even on paper. These will celebrate a holiday and not a holy day. For them, and for countless millions of so-called Christians, Christmas is only an opportunity to “celebrate”. Remember also, that the often too harshly condemned business world is performing a service to all the millions of shoppers who wish to give gifts to each other. The volume of business depends on the demand of the general public. As long as this remains the basic factor in the concentrated buying of gifts by and for 180 million Americans, we are missing the point by our criticism about commercialism and the “mad rush” it creates.

While the Christmas buying is a by-product and nothing sinful in itself, in fact commendatory where human needs are satisfied, but the “worldly celebration” of Christmas remains a major problem. It is part of our mission to tell the world, the world which may begin with your next door neighbor or member of your own family, the reason for our Christmas joy and the way to express it. We should reverse the general trend and instead of imitating the ways of the non-Christian world or following the crowd — let us lead them. Let them imitate and follow us! Let us influence them and show them the way to remember God’s greatest Gift received by us on the first Christmas. Christmas must become a genuine spiritual experience for every person.

Strangely enough, the first Christmas was an experience on the part of God, too. He entered into our world in a human form. God gave His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of many. The creative power became the redeeming force, eternal grace and all-engulfing love. He is the real spirit of Christmas.

Now, if this Spirit were to enter into your life, you would have to make certain changes there. The Spirit of Christmas will demand love, sacrifice and forgiveness. If you follow these demands, you will be a new person, a redeemed child of God. Only such can truly share in the joy of Christmas which is not superficial but deep and lasting through a lifetime. That was the message of the herald angels:

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