This year, far more than any other year I can remember, it seems that I heard more and more people talking about the same thing.
“I just can’t get into the Christmas spirit.”
“I’m just not feeling it this year.”
“Not in the mood.”
I was one of those people. The busyness that comes with the season didn’t draw me in. I cut back on my decorating, pushed myself to do Christmas cards, wasn’t into the shopping. Unfortunately it seemed to go deeper too. My church uses Lenten and Advent programs from a group called Sanctified Arts. I usually dive wholeheartedly into the devotions and really appreciate them but found myself merely dabbling. I ordered Advent books from my favorite bookseller, but I barely read anything. And if the decorating statement didn’t already shock those who know me well, this will – I couldn’t enjoy and immerse myself in the music of the season. I didn’t want to hear of Santa, last Christmas, snow. Even the hymns that are so special to me left me, if not cold, at least tepid.
As I thought about it in the last few days it started to come to me, and Rev. Kathryn Johnson’s sermon yesterday morning solidified my thinking. The theme of this year’s Advent program from Sanctified Arts really summed it up. How Does a Weary World Rejoice?
Our world is frankly a shit-show right now. War rages in Ukraine. Israelis and Palestinians are suffering after vicious terrorist attacks followed by relentless retaliation attacks and all-out war in Israel and Gaza. In our own country public discourse has turned into angry vilification whereby anyone daring to disagree with someone is defamed, threatened with violence toward them and their family, and made to suffer. Even within political parties it has become dangerous to voice an opinion that isn’t in lock-step with the loudest, most vehement in the party.
We have Christian nationalists who have bastardized the Christian teachings of Jesus to fit their political views. They are not biblical. The Bible does not teach hatred. The Bible doesn’t declare that American is the holy land. In the name of “right to life” they hold so fast to an ideal that they would let a mother die from a pregnancy. In the name of the rights of some people, they will trample the rights of all others. They are mounting attacks that will decimate the first amendment while not even entertaining safeguards that they see as weakening the second, even safeguards that may give our children the “right to life.” They are waging a war on women. These are not Christians. They are nationalists but do not follow the Bible. Biblical truths do not mesh with extreme conservative or extreme liberal agendas. Politics and religion cannot be seen as the same thing because quickly your politics become your religion. It is easy to see this truth when looking at the behaviors and words of our so-called leaders in office and those running for office
Anyone paying attention – even someone like me who will go for days without seeing a news report because it is just too disturbing – will recognize that there is enough hatred, vitriol, and violence to make everyone weary. None of what is happening will make you feel joy to the world. None expounds peace on earth.
Imagine, if you will, the background of Jesus and how the man would be seen today.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem and every year pilgrims flock there to celebrate his birth. Except this year. Christmas in Bethlehem was cancelled. Manger Square had no tree, no lights, and no throngs of tourists. The shops, restaurants, and streets were deserted.
The traditional, lovely nativity set usually displayed in Bethlehem was replaced by one with the baby lying among the ruins left by war. The baby is larger than the normal one. The remaining traditional characters from the set were placed around the edges as if searching for loved ones, as if searching for the baby – the larger baby suggesting all of the innocents damaged by war.
As we see our traditional narrative this year through the light of current events, it contains some sobering things that dampen celebration. Jesus, the Nazarene, was born in Bethlehem but his parents were from Nazareth which is today the largest Palestinian town in Israel. Bethlehem today is part of the occupied West Bank. His family is of Jewish heritage through the lineage of King David. In Jesus’s time, what is called Palestine today was Judea, the land of Judah. King Herod (remember him from the Magi story) reigned in Palestine. This is the backdrop of his birth then.
So imagine… Jesus was a Palestinian. A Jew. A dark skinned man who would look much like all those we see in images from the Middle East (regardless of how many western churches show him and his mother so white they glow). He and his family quickly became refugees in Egypt. He would be hated by many, reviled by many, condemned by many. This would include many Christians in our country and elsewhere today who hate Jews, hate people from any country in the Middle East, hate dark skinned people, and hate refugges. Many of the refugees that we see today have fled war, drug lords, or even their own govenments in order to survive. There are demands to see the refugees who land on our shores sent back from whence they came. Had Egypt sent Mary and Joseph back to Herod’s kingdom, the action would have condemned the baby to death in a place where the king had issued an edict to kill all male children under age two.
So it is very hard to find the Christmas spirit this year. We sing of “Peace on earth and mercy mild…” – “O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant…” – “Son of God, love’s pure light radiant beams from Thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace…” – “’Til he appears and the soul felt its worth, a thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn…”
My words are not sufficient to convey all that I’m thinking. I need to rely on others so I’ll start with the service at Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church from the morning of December 24, 2023. Kathryn said it beautifully, bringing hope and truth to the season and our world. She did it better than I can. Follow the link below by clicking on the photo (or the link below it) to listen to her words from the morning service on Christmas Eve. She begins speaking at the 29:07 mark:
A Word Aptly Spoken 
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