Merry Christmas! Though Epiphany is now over, there is an old tradition in the Church that the Christmas season actually lasts up until the feast of Candlemas in February. Of course, most people outside the Church think Christmas is already over by December 26th. While our Protestant brethren do differ from us in celebrating Christmas on only one day, they do understand the true meaning of it, that God became man for us on that most holy day, which is probably the most important thing to understand about it anyway. However, secular people have turned Christmas into a materialistic holiday and they want to obliterate its religious beginnings, going so far as to censor A Charlie Brown Christmas because of its biblical references. Even so, the particular lack of understanding which I want to address is society’s misuse of the Christmas spirit.
Spirit of Christmas or Spirit of Fun?
One example of this misconception can be found in the Christmas comedy movie The Santa Clause II. In one scene the leading man goes on a date with a woman who is enamored with the secular idea of Christmas and is by herself a pretty good illustration. She even says that she wears a Christmas bracelet, “all year long to keep the spirit alive.” Yet, for her, it seems as though Christmas is just a time of year to get excited and have fun, with no real meaning behind it. I think her particular issue is more that she does not understand the reason for the season. My point is her wording exhibits this idea of wanting to keep the spirit alive.
Rejoicing Without God is Empty
But what could possibly be wrong with having enjoyment and happiness in life all the time, you may ask. Well, nothing is wrong with the basic idea of “I’m alive and I appreciate life.” The problem is the desire not only to be happy but to celebrate all the time, even when there is no reason for it. Simply put, if all we do is play every day, then when a really special occasion comes, what is left to make it more special? It becomes just another day out of the 365 for celebrating. It seems to me that this could lend a kind of boredom to life.
Secular People Don’t Understand Sadness
Particularly for Christians, we really should have joy in our hearts all the time. After all, Christ became man, rose and died for us, and wants us to live in eternal bliss with Him in Heaven. That is one of the great truths of Christianity, and perpetual joy in it is good. The difference here is that such rejoicing, just like the real joy of Christmas, traces back to God as its source, rather than tracing back to man like society’s joys do. Furthermore, having Christ in our lives is our reason to celebrate all year long. However, Christ certainly suffered, as all will suffer in this imperfect world. He gives us permission to weep, as long as we continue to try to serve Him. Of course, atheists and agnostics are “allowed to” be sad as well, but with our understanding that this world is not our end, we are able to find meaning in pain. Perhaps another reason the non-religious want to celebrate all the time is because they use earthly pleasures as a substitute for the comfort God gives.
Penance Doesn’t Accord With the Secular Spirit
There is an even greater justification for a time of mourning in Catholicism specifically. We observe Christmas and Easter as the two most joyous seasons of the liturgical year, with much rejoicing. Yet, each and every year, we precede those happy times with the year’s two most penitential seasons. We do this in order to atone for the sins we commit because Earth is not a perfect world. Additionally, in suffering personal sacrifice for Christ’s sake, we can become closer to Him. Yet the secular members of society ignore the need for repentance and penance because they seek to create a Heaven on earth. People are the rulers of this new “Heaven” and everything in it, so if they want to rejoice, then they will. After all, if something feels good, there surely cannot be anything wrong with it. Conventional wisdom says there is no such thing as sin so they do not need God to celebrate and they certainly do not need Him to intrude in their personal lives.
Wait, Christmas is More Than Having Fun? That’s Surprising
But wait, a secular person might say. It is true that Christmas has no religious meaning for me, but it is not just an excuse for partying either. It is a time for giving, togetherness, and caring about others. However, from what I have experienced, the void left by religion in this society has been filled by “Me, Myself, and I.” For example, society does not place much emphasis on relationships because the ones that matter the most, require both persons to give something of themselves. The conclusion here is most people nowadays, especially non-Christians, seem to know that the spirit of giving is good… but like so many things, giving seems like a great idea… until it gets hard.
Rejoice and Weep With God
If we really are able to be selfless and giving all year long, rather than just pretending to be, then we are walking the road to sainthood. Nor should we be wailing and gnashing our teeth in sorrow all the time, for if that were true, we would not observe Christmas at all. However, we should not celebrate in an excessive form, such that we disobey God’s command to do penance, or lose sight of the fact that we were not made for this world alone. The true spirit of Christmas is a great thing because God intended that joy and sorrow, rejoicing and penance, both have their appropriate times and places. On that note… once again, merry Christmas!
