I inserted a line into this blog the other day that is a recurring Advent line from a Montfort missioner Priest that I know. He speaks to this time of year when people 'buy things that people don't need, for people they don't like with money that they do not have'. That's not an exact quote but the gist is there. For a whole host of reasons people dislike the holiday season.
Of course there are those that shout "put Christ back in Christmas!" There are still others that allege and lament the secular nature ( if not anti-Christian nature ) of coffee cup designs at Starbucks. Yeeesh. get a grip, will ya? I would be more prone to lament that Christ has been taken out of Christianity. The question has really become what is the focus of Christmas and in fact the entire holiday season since so many religions celebrate holy days and feasts around this time of year. Do you think that's an accident? Some might say that 'other' holidays are a distraction to what they perceive as the true meaning of the season. I would say it is no accident that we have coincidentally or intentionally set aside an entire season focused on all the best attributes of humanity and God's love for us.
I do think Madison Avenue and our very own penchant to make materialism our God has supplanted much of the 'holiness' we play lip service to. No, I am well aware of things that obscure any true meanings to our common holy seasons and holiday celebrations. I am still ecstatic that the world in effect sets aside an entire season to focus on what is truly important and that it begins essentially with our call to ourselves to be thankful. There is a great deal of irony there for sure. Some are thankful for what the have on Thursday only to beat the crap out of each other on Friday to get the best deals on the best whatever. All 'out of love'. Scary.
So besides being a Holy season for so many it is in fact a tug of war, not between opposing religions, but between our opposing nature. It is a challenge to focus on the real essence of Christianity for Christians. Must we tell everyone in our lives how much we love them by the number and expense of gifts? Can we placate ourselves by dropping spare coinage in a metal bucket outside a store? Even that revered 'agency of good' is very far from the focus and truth of what real Christianity stands for. Their policies are far from what Christ's are, but I digress. How do we foster and maintain a good focus during this holy season. It is supposed to be holy isn't it?
As difficult as it might seem, can we devote time to family members and loved ones, quality time? If we feel some urgency or requirement to spend, can we do so in a way that fosters or promotes the Kingdom, true love and thoughtfulness? If the season is as great as we proclaim, is not the effort we put into keeping it focused on God a noble cause and of paramount importance?
As unique as you and I and everyone else is, so should our plan to keep holy this holiday season. Perhaps a gift to God might be to respect and try to understand how how other faiths see the Creator. Wisdom and love seems a superb gift. Feeding the hungry would be high up there too. Peace and love, the absolute best. And just for the record, materialism, self righteousness and hate are not to be found on any good list of ways to make the holidays holy.
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