To the Band of Brothers: December 17, 2021

Good morning!

 

Today is the last day of your exams (yay!!). Even though Advent started three weeks ago, it is later this morning when you are going to really prepare for Christmas. Let me send you off with a thought.

 

Back in the ’80s, when I was your age, they came out with a bumper sticker that read, “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” I think it was a statement by Christians who were concerned (and rightfully so) about the overt secularization of Christmas. Our parish handed them out. My father, a devout Catholic, refused to put one on the bumper of his car because he felt it wouldn’t make sense eleven out of the twelve months of the year. We did however have sweatshirts made with the phrase stamped on them and wore them when even a hint of cold made its way temporarily to Miami.

 

A hundred years later, I continue to agree with the message, even though I probably wouldn’t wear the sweatshirt (doesn’t fit). I confess a smidgen of Grinch is sparked in me whenever Christ is taken out of Christmas. It clouds what is essentially at the core of the season. Let’s face it, without Christ you are simply left with “mas.”

 

Look, I know the argument: out of respect for those who do not believe or share our faith, we remove the Christian character of Christmas. But, I can’t help but consider that, for the most part, what has generated this removal of Christ from Christmas is not so much ecumenical sensitivity, but profit.

 

That’s right, I would argue it is greed and not respect that has shifted the focus of Christmas from Bethlehem to all the other cities of the world. Think about it, can you imagine how much money would be lost if Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, the religiously indifferent, agnostics, and atheists didn’t celebrate Christmas? All the major department stores, credit card companies, and airlines would take serious hits on Black Friday and every day leading up to the 25th of December. Jesus would become a serious threat to the economy.

 

So, the birth of Christ has been replaced with visions of sugarplums that dance in our heads and cute reindeer who fly through the sky. That’s crafty because secular society is not replacing Jesus with evil monsters or vicious practices. Those would be obvious red flags that awaken too much suspicion. No, Jesus is being replaced with heartwarming scenes of families gathered together around a tree, episodes of sharing with faithful friends that are dear to us. This way, everyone can buy into Christmas. Ultimately everyone, whether a Christian or not, whether a believer or not, can be roused by a spirit of giving that requires the purchasing of a present or two for those whom we love.

 

A few years ago I had an argument with a very close friend who sent me his company’s Christmas card. It said: “Wishing you the very best this holiday season.” I called him and asked what he meant by “holiday.” See, in our modern-day language, “holiday” simply means a period of time where you get off work or school because of a particular occasion significant to some group of people. Veterans Day is a holiday and so is Labor Day. So why, I asked, don’t I get a card from his company on those days. He conceded the point and admitted that, “I didn’t want to offend any of my clients who are not Christian.” In other words, I didn’t want to lose their business.

 

Well, the fact is the word “holiday” derives from Old English and it means “holy day” and only God is holy. Everything else is made holy by association. So, we even betray language when we try to remove God from the picture. So let’s keep Jesus in the picture. Let’s focus on the miracle of Bethlehem. Let’s wish Jesus on the world. Let’s give gifts only as a response to the greatest gift that has already been given to the world in Jesus. And, most importantly, don’t celebrate the holidays, celebrate Christmas.

 

Auspice Maria,

Fr. Willie ‘87