So, I get a Christmas greeting from my friend Jonathan (who is a very funny and holy guy!).
It says this:
OK SANTA, let's see YOU rise from the grave!
Good point. It reminds me of a conversation I had recently with my four year old son.
It was snowing (very unusual in Vancouver) and he was excited because he said when it snows it's time for Santa to come.
I said, "yeah - but Santa is just a story - it's Jesus that's real."
And my son looked at me, smiled and said,
"But I thought Jesus made Santa to give us good gifts."
Hmm. He may have a point.
Let's celebrate with great joy.
Jesus is alive. Santa is a fun story. And gifts are cool. Peace on earth - and soon.
Merry Christmas and Holy Incarnation.
6 comments:
G'day mate,
Hope you had an awesome Christmas.
love
Lisa Luxford
Oh..... :0)
Santa is FAR more than a fun story to us. He is St Nicholas, who did a big mitzva. He gave to charity, specially he gave to those daughters in need who could not marry without a dowry. Giving to charity is such a hugely important thing I most happily bring him into our celebration, and make a feature of it. I use the fact we say he still gives us gifts today as an illustration that we are all, in truth, poor - even when we have material goods, we may lack in other ways, being spiritually poor, or unable to fully understand the sufferings of others, or in a spiritual poverty that means we don't even see the materially poor around us who need our help. So St Nicholas remembers even us, and I reckon with all the other saints up there looks down on us and smiles as he continues to encourage us to do the mitzvah of giving to the needy. The kids love it, ask for the story again and again, and have no problem with the big guy in red appearing on their Christmas cards!
Specially for me, I recall that he was a church leader, and was therefore practicing what he preached when he himself gave to the needy.
Of course the reindeer are a little more difficult to explain! lol
Christmas blessings,
Eleanor n/TSSF
you're right... your friend is pretty holy and funny
Eleanor - good point sis.
We do use the whole St. Nich story - which is a powerful one... and we do send goats and bigs and chickens and cows to kids/families in Haiti as Christmas presents because that's what St. Nicholas really represents etc.. I'm a fan of the real implications of Jesus' birth on culture.
Keep it coming.
Grace.
D
Out of the mouths of babes comes the truth.
The big thing in Harare this year was an article in the newspaper and a "documentary" on the television station about mixing up the letters for SATAN Claus... He didn't bring many gifts to this country this year anyway...
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