Origins of Christmas

As per established custom, this year too, a date now known to all will be dedicated to the most heartfelt celebration supported by popular belief and tradition: the 25 December. On this day yes usually commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and for the occasion, religious-traditional uses and customs are proposed which give rise to folkloristic events “Christmas”. Values ​​are rediscovered and interests are ignited that during the rest of the year seem dormant or are even not considered at all.. It's just an example but, it has now become merely customary to gather as a family to eat abundant lunches and dinners, exchange gifts, decorate the tree or prepare the traditional nativity scene. We play cards, the tombola and, for most “to say”, we go dancing and it's late at night.

In some cases, Isn't it pure hypocrisy that must be manifested on this particular occasion? For example, the exchange of the fateful Christmas greetings and the affectionate hugs-kisses that perhaps had never previously been offered or received. All this is necessary to remember the importance of the coming into the world of our Savior Jesus Christ? There's no risk involved’ to fall into formalism? The frenzy and air of mysticism linked to this celebration are typical of Christian morality, or rather they belong to paganism?

This moment of the year is awaited by everyone, believers and non-believers, consumers and traders: willy-nilly, we are all more or less involved in it. But if you could take a moment to reflect a little’ more about nature and above all about the true origins of this holiday, perhaps you would be more conscious and more careful as you prepare for Christmas. You might stop and consider all the things you will have read in this short writing and, as I sincerely hope, decide to do as is right for those who believe in the importance of the birth of the Savior, that is: “according to the will of Christ”.

The Christian value of Christmas

First of all, Christian Christmas is not the 25 December. The Sir, in His Wisdom he did not want us to know the exact day of the Savior's birth and even the year is uncertain.

Following new historical elements, the calculation error committed by the monk Dionysius the Little was highlighted, when in 525 fixed the date of Christ's birth in the year 753 after the founding of Rome. But scholars agree that this date should be brought forward by a few years and placed around 749-48. In this way the birth of Christ would be placed between 4 or the 5 a.C., 750 years after the founding of Rome.

We can also deduce, and believe with certainty, that Jesus was not born in winter since the shepherds who were warned by the angels of the prodigious event of the birth of the Messiah were sleeping outdoors: “Now in that same region there were shepherds living out in the fields, and at night they kept watch over their flock” (gospel of Luca 2:8).

It was certainly not the custom of the Israelite shepherds to spend the night in the open, during the Palestinian winter which is severe enough to prevent this. It is clear that many have chosen in 25 December one conventional date to remember the birth of the Savior. Anyhow, the Christian who recognizes in the Word of God the only source of truth and good for his own soul, feels free from observing established days, seasons and other ritual occasions because it knows that the externality of the holidays supplants the spirit that originally gave birth to them.

Here is what Jesus says about religious traditions:

• Matteo 15:3: “But he answered them: 'And you, because you transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?'”
  
• Matteo 15:6: “Thus you have nullified the word of God because of your tradition.”
  
• Marco 7:9: “He still told them: 'As you know well to cancel God's commandment to observe your tradition!'”
  

In the Bible, the only holidays to celebrate, with very specific anniversaries, they are found written in the Old Testament. Such holidays – such as for example: the day of rest (Shabbath); Easter; the Feast of Unleavened Bread; the Day of Atonement; etc., described in the book of Leviticus in chap. 23 – they have the sole purpose of figuratively and prophetically presenting the person and work of Jesus Christ, and in Him alone they have fulfillment. Therefore, once the work and ministry of Christ has been fulfilled, they no longer have value nor, above all, need to be observed.

The apostle Paul, writing in this regard to the believers of Galatia who had allowed themselves to be convinced of the need to observe certain Jewish religious holidays, remind them that when they were in paganism: “For your ignorance of God, you were subjected to divinities, which in reality they are not; now that you have known God, rather, you were known by him, how can you turn again to those weak and miserable elements, to whom you want to serve again as in the past? Butter, indeed, observe days, months, seasons and years! I fear for you that I have labored in vain regarding you” (Galati 4:8-11, the).

The story that the Gospel of Luke gives us of the announcement of the birth of the Savior to the shepherds of Bethlehem, helps us discover what the true spirit of Christmas is and how the glorious event of God's incarnation should be remembered.

Let's read Luca 2:8-20: In that same region there were shepherds who were in the fields and kept watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were overcome with great fear. The angel told them: «Do not be afraid, because I bring you the good news of a great joy that all the people will have: “Today, in the city of David, a Savior is born for you, which is Christ, the Sir. And this will serve as a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”». And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the celestial army, who praised God and said: «Glory to God in the highest places, and peace on earth to the men he pleases!» When the angels had gone to heaven, the shepherds said among themselves: «Let's go to Bethlehem and see what happened, and that the Lord has let us know". They went quickly, and they found Mary and Joseph and the child, placed in the manger; e, seen it, they divulged what they had been told about that child. And all who heard them were amazed at the things the shepherds told them. Mary kept all these things within herself, pondering them in his heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as had been announced to them”.

It's the good news (Gospel) of great joy.

What fills you with joy these days? The thought of what you will do or the consideration of what God has already done for you? Perhaps it will be the emotion of a few moments spent among friends, the long-awaited meeting with a loved one, or the awareness of having received an incomparable gift from the Lord? You know that: “God loved the world so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (Giovanni 3:16) ?

What effect does it have on you to know that God came into the world as a man to be among men and to save men from eternal death by bringing upon Himself a shameful and atrocious death?, in our place?

It is an opportunity to glorify God (v.14).

Christmas Day, what will be your main occupation? You will praise the Lord and glorify him for what he has done for you and for the immense benefit that has come from his humiliation? Or, after having silenced your soul by fulfilling your religious duty more or less sincerely, you will get stuck doing things that are neither useful, nor honorable and, often even offensive to God himself?

It is an opportunity to testify and grow in faith (v.17-20).

True Christians take advantage of every opportunity to tell everyone about what their Lord has done and the Grace they have received. As the shepherds did, they “they divulge what they had been told about that child”; and like them, they return edified in their faith: “And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as had been announced to them”.

If these holidays will pass and leave you as they found you, if this Christmas also passes without your heart having grown closer to the Lord, without your soul having been made more compliant with the perfect example of the Savior… then you will have wasted your time, and the Lord himself will not like your superficial and traditional devotion at all.

Anciently, through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord showed that He did not like the hypocritical worship of His people and said: “Stop bringing useless offers; I hate incense; and as for new moons, you have sabbaticals, when calling meetings, I cannot bear the iniquity combined with the solemn assembly. My soul hates your new moons and your appointed feasts; I have a burden that I'm tired of carrying. When you stretch out your hands, I take my eyes off you; even when you multiply your prayers, I don't listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourself, Wash yourself, remove the wickedness of your actions before my eyes; stop doing evil; learn to do good; seek justice, lift up the oppressed, do justice to the orphan, plead the cause of the widow! «Then come, and let's discuss", says the Lord: «Even if your sins were like scarlet, they will become white as snow; even if they were red like purple, they will become like wool” (Isaiah 1:13-18)

What will you do this Christmas now that you too know the truth? What attitude will you use in front of others: hypocritical or frank and sincere? What do you plan to celebrate? Now what do you think is right?: conform to the common idea, or conform to the will of God?

Translation of the evangelical song “We are the reason”, di David Meece

As children we dreamed of Christmas morning
And all the gifts and games we would find
But we didn't know that a child was born on a holy night
He has given us the greatest gift of our lives

And we were the reason He gave His life
We were the reason He suffered and died
For a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

As the years went by we learned more about the gifts
And about giving ourselves and what that means
On a dark and cloudy day a Man was hung screaming in the rain
For love; for love

And we were the reason He gave His life
We were the reason He suffered and died
For a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

I finally found the reason to live
It's giving every part of my heart to Him
In everything I do, every word I say
I will give my entire being to Him
His

And we are the reason He gave His life
We are the reason He suffered and died
For a world that was lost He gave all He could give
To show us the reason to live

He is my reason for living.

N.d.r. A final note addressed to our brothers and sisters in Christ: even if we don't celebrate Christmas like the world does, we pray that God can reveal himself to every person and that they too can understand that true Christmas is that of the birth of Christ in our hearts, and so that also through our good daily testimony they can understand true Christianity. God bless us together.

 

edited by Giovanni Villari