Sunday Musing - November 26, 2017
Another holiday season is fast approaching. Obviously, we all know that not everyone celebrates Christmas and not everyone lives by the same calendar. Yet, here in the United States, it seems as if we continue to act as if we are a nation of Christians and that every good person will want to want to celebrate Christmas. Depending on the geographical area in which one lives there may or may not be some public recognition that Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah (December 12-20th this year) and that Muslims celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad on December 1 this year. Some celebrate a secular holiday without the need for a religious framework.
Many families, no matter what their religious beliefs or lack thereof, will use the season as an opportunity to celebrate many of the same core values which many Christians understand Jesus to have taught. It will be a season of gathering love ones together. Some may even go so far to offer or ask for forgiveness.
I have begun to get emails or other communication urging me to be supportive of returning the holiday to one of celebrating the birth of Christ by ensuring that I so not fall victim to the popular move of wishing everyone a happy holiday instead of a merry Christmas. I must confess that I have yet to understand the concern of those making this passionate request. It is as if some are fearful that the feelings of Jesus will be hurt if we do not acknowledge his birthday by calling the holiday Christmas. I, however, have a difficult time accepting that the ego of Jesus demands that we publically call the holiday Christmas and, thus, exclude all those who are merely celebrating that fact that we can envision coming together in love and together explore peaceful ways of living in harmony with the universe(s).
I do know, of course, that not everyone will be celebrating the fact that we need to truly love and care for each other. Some will donate money or gifts to the “less fortunate” and give thanks that they are not like them. Some will make gift giving a silent plea that they be acknowledge as the most generous and the most adored – the most Christ like. Some will outdo each in their public performance of the role of the prostrate servant. Some will be stressed all next year because they went into debt to purchase the perfect gifts.
Personally, although the religious framework, which is my personal heritage, is Christian, I will wish everyone a happy or blessed holiday. I am assume that the ego or sense of self worth of Jesus is perfectly intact – that He is not wallowing in angry self pity because I did not acknowledge his name when I attempted to approach everyone I meet with love. In private I will hold the vision and use the language, which is aligned with my heritage. I will invite Jesus is for tea or dinner in the costume of those who are labeled by some as “the least of these”. I will welcome those who I think have mistreated me as much as I have mistreated others. I will do this because I believe that humility and Grace demands that I practice unconditional love even if my humanness makes that very difficult on an emotional level. I will assume that the egos of Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha and other teachers are strong and not in need of my reassurance.
Written November 26, 2017
Another holiday season is fast approaching. Obviously, we all know that not everyone celebrates Christmas and not everyone lives by the same calendar. Yet, here in the United States, it seems as if we continue to act as if we are a nation of Christians and that every good person will want to want to celebrate Christmas. Depending on the geographical area in which one lives there may or may not be some public recognition that Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah (December 12-20th this year) and that Muslims celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad on December 1 this year. Some celebrate a secular holiday without the need for a religious framework.
Many families, no matter what their religious beliefs or lack thereof, will use the season as an opportunity to celebrate many of the same core values which many Christians understand Jesus to have taught. It will be a season of gathering love ones together. Some may even go so far to offer or ask for forgiveness.
I have begun to get emails or other communication urging me to be supportive of returning the holiday to one of celebrating the birth of Christ by ensuring that I so not fall victim to the popular move of wishing everyone a happy holiday instead of a merry Christmas. I must confess that I have yet to understand the concern of those making this passionate request. It is as if some are fearful that the feelings of Jesus will be hurt if we do not acknowledge his birthday by calling the holiday Christmas. I, however, have a difficult time accepting that the ego of Jesus demands that we publically call the holiday Christmas and, thus, exclude all those who are merely celebrating that fact that we can envision coming together in love and together explore peaceful ways of living in harmony with the universe(s).
I do know, of course, that not everyone will be celebrating the fact that we need to truly love and care for each other. Some will donate money or gifts to the “less fortunate” and give thanks that they are not like them. Some will make gift giving a silent plea that they be acknowledge as the most generous and the most adored – the most Christ like. Some will outdo each in their public performance of the role of the prostrate servant. Some will be stressed all next year because they went into debt to purchase the perfect gifts.
Personally, although the religious framework, which is my personal heritage, is Christian, I will wish everyone a happy or blessed holiday. I am assume that the ego or sense of self worth of Jesus is perfectly intact – that He is not wallowing in angry self pity because I did not acknowledge his name when I attempted to approach everyone I meet with love. In private I will hold the vision and use the language, which is aligned with my heritage. I will invite Jesus is for tea or dinner in the costume of those who are labeled by some as “the least of these”. I will welcome those who I think have mistreated me as much as I have mistreated others. I will do this because I believe that humility and Grace demands that I practice unconditional love even if my humanness makes that very difficult on an emotional level. I will assume that the egos of Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha and other teachers are strong and not in need of my reassurance.
Written November 26, 2017
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