'Tis the Season - By Sharon Flood Kasenberg

Show Me

Christ in the spotlight?
I doubt that he'd care
whether tableau is
placed here, or placed there.
Want Christ in Christmas?
Perhaps you might start
by showing his teachings
are deep in your heart.
People are hurting
this time of the year -
lonely and hungry,
and lacking in cheer.
Go - sing some carols
to make some hearts glad,
help out the weary
and comfort the sad.
Make a donation
To show that you care.
If Christ's in your Christmas
then prove He is there.

by Sharon Flood Kasenberg, December 10, 2018

There's a large sign on our lawn that says "Season's Greetings" in large three foot green lighted letters. I'm just waiting for somebody to complain that it doesn't say "Merry Christmas" instead. Go ahead - I dare you.

First of all, if you know me, or if you've ever read even one of my Christmas posts, you'll know that I love Christmas and have no trouble whatsoever using the phrase "Merry Christmas." Most of the people I know celebrate Christmas, and so that's the phrase I use most of the time. A few times it has slipped out around Muslim, Jewish or Hindu acquaintances, and they simply smiled and said they hoped I enjoyed the holidays. No big deal. If a Jewish friend wanted to wish me "Happy Hanukkah", I wouldn't be upset in the slightest. Isn't life too short to waste time getting bent out of shape over such little things?

Sometimes, when there's any doubt in my mind I say, "Happy Holidays" - everybody seems to be celebrating something at this time of year, so why not? If by chance they aren't, it's still likely that they'll get a few days off work, so at the very least I'm showing goodwill by saying I hope they enjoy those days away from the grindstone. I hope they enjoy the days that I'll be celebrating my holiday - which is Christmas. I'm not being politically correct by saying "Happy Holidays" - just practical.

I am unabashedly non-religious these days, but I love the Christian themes in Christmas. It's a season of hope and joy - and Heaven knows we all need a bit more of those things in our lives. Every Christmas Eve, I try to make my way out to St. John's Elora to hear their beautiful choir sing. I listen to my husband's vast collection of honest to goodness Christmas carols in the car - no "Frosty" or "I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus" here. I love the carols that tell the story of Jesus' birth. I don't know if Jesus was actually born at this time of year, and I don't particularly care. Winter can be bleak, and a big birthday party - with gorgeous music and lots of bright Christmas lights and decorations - is a great way to add a little warmth to the coldest, shortest days of winter.

We can all get up on our high horse about how we can't display our Christian symbols anywhere we like, or worry about who greets who how - but what would Jesus say about His followers getting twisted out of shape over these trivialities when there are people in our midst with serious problems that we're ignoring while we make our petty complaints?

The way I see it, the problems in our society don't stem from "Godlessness" - but from a lack of morality. We are not kind enough. We don't show enough empathy toward others. Too many parents don't take time to really talk to their children; to teach them about compassion for others and the value of being honest, decent, and respectful. Too many fine Christians send their kids off to Sunday School once a week, and ignore their spiritual and moral development the other six days of the week. (Trust me on this - I taught Sunday School for a lot of years.)

Our problems didn't start when we stopped saying rote prayers in schools and other public spaces - they started when we stopped eating dinner together as families. They started when we - as the role models in our children's lives - started parking them in front of the television instead of talking to them and playing with them. Our problems started when we became so enamoured of our own devices that we gave them cell phones of their own to keep them out of our hair. Our problems were exacerbated by two income expectations - we, as parents got so caught up in giving them better things, that we failed to give them what they needed most - time, attention and limits.

It's handy to blame the influx of other faiths to our country as the root of our problems, and thereby assume - erroneously, I might add - that Christian morals are the only morals. I'm going to say something radical now: I've met a lot of Agnostics and Atheists who put Christians to shame when it comes to looking out for their fellow humans. I've seen amazing service rendered by non-churchgoers and non-believers. Religion, in my opinion, has most definitely not cornered the market on morality, goodness or decency.

I never cease to be amazed by the tribalism evidenced in today's society. Does it matter who goes to what church, or if the people who do their best to serve us - kindly and generously - go to any church at all? Is it our business how they choose to spend their Sundays? Would Jesus say we get to judge our neighbours based on whether they go to church? Would Jesus care how we greet each other in December? Or would he just be happy that we offered kindly greetings to each other at all?

It's easy to carp and complain about Christ not being part of Christmas. It's harder to conserve whatever scant energy we have, and then apply it to taking care of each others' needs. If you want to show that keeping Christ in Christmas matters to you, then demonstrate that you've incorporated his best teachings into your life. Be kind. Serve others. Give the benefit of a doubt to the Samaritans in your midst - they just might repay the favour.

Spend less time worrying about who believes what, and more time proving that you understand the concept of doing "unto others as you would have them do unto you." Take time for the people who matter most in your life, and for rendering kindness unto "the least of these."

And above all, don't judge your neighbour for putting "Season's Greetings" up in lights. I think Jesus would approve of the fact that I'm trying to include everyone in my celebration.

Peace on Earth - and good will toward all. Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays.