A Merry Christmas to you all. What would a Merry Christmas be for you, or more specifically, what would it mean for you? I imagine for many it would be to reenter the nearly magical days of childhood when the wonder of anxious anticipation, colorful decorations, presents under the tree, and store window displays climaxed early on Christmas morning, and it all happened without your having to take responsibility for anything. Even if that was not one’s experience, stories about how that was real for others made possible a few moments of fantasies about “what if” it might be some day.
The adult version might be a hope for moments of personal unrestrained joy with a feeling of good will shared in gatherings with others feeling the same way. That can happen and sometimes does. For others it is the joyful reunion of loving family. Reality doesn’t always add up to expectations fulfilled, but you never know, it might.
The first known use of “Merry Christmas” was apparently in 1534 when Bishop Fisher used it in a letter. I doubt the good bishop coined the phrase any more than Trump coined “groceries.” In any case, I suspect his Merry Christmas meant something quite different.
I suspect he meant it to mean an unrestrained, generous outpouring of gratitude for the incarnation of The Messiah through whom it would be made known that we gentiles are counted as among the members of God’s family. I expect he meant Merry Christmas was to be powerfully reminded of the daring awesomeness of God entering bodily into human life in the most humble and vulnerable way possible. Imagine trusting fallible humans with the care and protection of this holy babe.
The Bishop’s Merry Christmas is one that requires no trees or presents or reunions or parties or decorations. By all means let us have them if they bring delight into our lives, but let them not burden us with responsibilities and demands that makes them more work than pleasure. Above all and regardless of life’s conditions, let us once again be overwhelmed with the holy majesty of Christ’s birth, and the redeeming, abounding and steadfast love that opened for us a better way of life now and for eternity. A Merry Christmas is one in which we renew our intentions to bear the light of Christ, however we can, into a world needing it so much.
Merry Christmas
Indeed, sending out an awesomely incsrnational “Merry Christmas” to you, and yours, Fr. Steve!
Aloha mui,
H+
Indeed, sendong out an awesomely incarnational “Merry Christmsd” to you, and yours, Fr. Steven!
Aloha nui,
H+
Amen