Christmas Thoughts - 2008

One of the primary themes of Christmas lore is JOY. I mean, our primary Christmas greeting is an archaic wish for joy, Merry Christmas"

Joy to the World

tidings of great joy

Christmas cards are covered with the word

Joy is everywhere at Christmas - that is thoughts and words and images about joy, anyway. In reality, the holiday season is the most depressing for many Americans. Instead of joy and peace on earth, we have people trampled to death at black friday sales, crazy traffic jams, stressful shopping trips and gift list making, obligatory giving of gifts nobody wants or needs, obscene amounts of sugar and fat-laden food to keep us feeling holiday-bloated... yuck, I won't make this list any longer, though I could - just think about CNN for a minute... oh yeah, there's still a whole world out there that's dying and falling to pieces while we decorate trees and cookies. 

Where's the Christmas joy?

The joy of Christmas is the story we're supposed to be celebrating. Think about joy for a minute...

What are the most joyous times in our lives?

When I think about this question, I can think of specific personal moments, of course. But, if I think about more universal experiences of joy - times when lots of people are all joyful together - there are two things that come to mind:

Weddings and Babies.

Now, think about the Nativity story: Mary and Joseph are celebrating their wedding night. Now, it's a bit of an awkward wedding with the whole virginal conception and angel visitations and third trimester donkey journeys... but, they're a newlywed couple, nonetheless. They are looking forward to a new life together. And, in the midst of that, their consummation is the birth of a son! A tiny bundle of joy gawking and gurgling at the world.

God wrote the story on Joy. 

He didn't send angels to announce metaphysical positive feelings to the world, or send wise men from the east to pontificate on the legalities of peace with God.  He sent a newborn to a newlywed couple to commence the salvation of the world. He announced His favor toward humanity with a bright-eyed baby. He announced peace on earth through the earnest love of newlyweds.

That is Christmas joy, and it's a joy strong enough to make it through the holidays with a heart alive, and probably even a smile or ten.

The joy goes even deeper when you set these beautiful realities (wedding and baby) against their historical backdrop of oppression, poverty, fear and risk and exclusion...