Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014:

Christmas day will soon be upon us.  We will celebrate the birth of Christ and rejoice in the beginning of His redemptive work.  By his suffering and death Jesus appeases the justice of His father to allow our sins to be forgiven.  Then, by rising from the dead he conquers death and allows us to live forever with Him.  I'd say that's a pretty good cause for celebration.

Although Christmas is one of the most beloved holidays, for the first 3 centuries of Christianity it was not celebrated.   The earliest gospel, St. Mark's (written about 65 A.D.) begins with the baptism of an adult Jesus.  This suggests the earliest Christians lacked interest in or knowledge of Jesus's birth date.  The bible does not specify Jesus's exact birth date.   Christianity's most significant holidays were the Epiphany on January 6th which commemorated the arrival of the Magi and Easter, the celebration of Jesus's Resurrection

The first mention of December 25th as a holiday honoring Jesus's birth was in Rome in a calender from 336 A.D.   Actually, the Nativity story's presence of shepherds would suggest a spring birth.   Church officials settled on December 25th at the end of the 3rd century.  It is likely they wanted to coincide with existing festivals honoring Saturn, the Roman God of Agriculture, and Mithra, the Persian god of light.  This would make it easier to convince Rome's pagan subjects to accept Christianity as the empire's official religion.  

Christmas today is firmly established on December 25th.  It is a time for gift giving and family gatherings.   It is a time to shop, to decorate  and to bake.  All this is supposed to be fun and for most people it is .  Unfortunately, for some it is not.  It can be a time of stress and depression.   High expectations, money woes, and the stress of family gatherings can spell trouble for anyone, but especially for those prone to depression.    I believe God wills us to be happy at the celebration of his Son's birth.  Here are some tips to avoid holiday depression:

1. Plan ahead - identify some restorative routines such as reading a book or napping and write them on a calender and make them a priority. 
2. Avoid family conflict - if you know there are going to be conflicts, prepare a neutral response such as "Let's talk about that at another time" or "I can see how you would feel that way".  You can escape to the restroom, offer to help in the kitchen, or go hang out with the kids.
3. Forget perfection - decorating, planning, finding the perfect gift can become overwhelming.   When you take your focus off yourself and put it on those less fortunate, you'll avert depression.
4. Learn to grieve - If you are mourning the loss of a loved one, it's a good time to talk about how you are feeling , or to reach out to a support group.
5. Schedule some sleep - Holiday activities can interfere  with your sleep schedule.   Make sure you get enough sleep. 
6. Get help - if you need support to make it through the holidays, reach out to family or friends. 
7. Priortize your workouts - Holiday activities can cause your exercise routine to go by the wayside.  Put it back on your prority list.  Exercise has been shown to improve mood.  
8. Consider your light exposure - Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can be treated by taking long walks during daylighta hours or exposure to a light box for about 30 minutes a day.
9. Cut back on commitments - You don't have to attend every holiday gathering.  Volunteer, go on vacation, visit a shelter or someone who is alone. Focusing on others can help alleviate depression.  

These are just some ideas.  There is plenty more online.  Search "holiday depression". 

So, have a happy Christmas.  Celebrate the birth of our Savior  and give thanks for His redemptive mission.   Let your light, shine and be a blessing to whomever you can. 

God love you at Christmas and always. 

I was hungry and you gave me food.

I was hungry, and you gave me food......

In Matthew 25: 35 - 36 The Lord says, "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me , I was in prison and you came to me."   When asked when we did these things to Him, He answers "When you did  them to the least of my brothers you were doing them to me."  He further admonishes us that when we refused to do these things for the least of His brethern, we refused to do them for Him.

With these words Jesus leaves us a commandment of love. Christ identifies with the stranger, with the one who suffers, with all the victims of violence and exploitation.  We are to love and adore Jesus Christ particularly in the poorest and most abandoned.   So, as Christians, we are called to welcome all people, without distinction or limits in order to proclaim "God is love".

It is easy to be loving and generous to our family and friends, to those we perceive as "on our level", but what about those who we do not know,  the chronically unemployed, people who always seem to be a day late and a dollar short ?  Surely migrants and refugees are among the poorest and most abandoned.   What of displaced persons and exiles?

Courage born of faith, hope, and love can enable us to reduce the distance that separates us from human misery.  Jesus wants to be recognized in the world's needy.  He calls us to share our resources.  The more fortunate should place  their goods more generously at the disposal of others.

By seeing Christ in the poorest and most abandoned we can share our time, talents,  and treasure to be Christ to them.  Be generous!

God love you!