'Tis the season to remember the true meaning of Christmas
Published on Sunday, December 20th 1998 on The San Juan StarSince Christmas today is not what Christmas is supposed to be, there are a number of people who are somewhat uneasy about these holidays. I'm one of them. Holy days is what it used to be all about.
You see, back in the old days, centuries ago, when people depended upon the earth, they were very much in tune with the seasons. There were seasons when it was hot, seasons when it was cold, seasons when it was wet and seasons when it was dry. Certain times of year, you sowed. Certain times of year, you harvested. Certain times of year, you butchered. People knew that days would get shorter and nights would get longer, and that the earth was not too generous with fruit when this was happening. They knew nothing about photosynthesis, but they knew that the sun helped the plants grow. It was sad when nights were long. Not enough sun. Not too much food. And, besides, it was cold and gloomy.
But lo and behold, this trend would turn. Gloom would end. At some point in time nights would begin to grow shorter and days longer, and plants would grow back, and there would be food, and the earth would be warm. This turning point from gloom to gladness was in the heavens. And it was so precise, you could set a date by it. The date of the turning point is December 21 or 22, a date known as the Winter Solstice, or the rebirth of the sun. Actually, there is also a Summer Solstice for the southern hemisphere on June 21 or 22, but since most people lived in the northern hemisphere, it was the Winter Solstice during December that was celebrated. Pagans feasted during this rebirth of life. Fertility was back.
Then there was a census. A Roman ruler by the name of Gaius Octavius, later known as Augustus, ordered a tally of all his subjects. You know, for taxes and things. Two of his subjects, a carpenter by the name of Joseph and his young wife, Mary, had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in Judea, to comply with the mandate of being counted. By the way, tallies for the state are called statistics, and some scholars say that the census ordered by Augustus was the first official statistic. Mary, who was pregnant to term, gave birth while in Bethlehem. Her son was called Jesus. Shortly after birth, the baby Jesus was visited by three strange men, who on their way had visited a local ruler by the name of Herod, King of Judea. The three stange men told Jesus' parents that the birth of Jesus had gained some notoriety and that the baby was in danger of being killed. Jesus' parents opted to return to Nazareth by way of Egypt, a fairly long detour, to avoid harm for newborn baby.
It turned out that this Jesus did some marvelous things in his day. But being a charismatic and immensely popular political figure, he represented a serious threat to leaders in his immediate vicinity. People thought that when he spoke of liberation he meant liberation from the Roman Empire. He was put to death. That he did not stay dead more than three days is perhaps the salient, single, most important feat by which he is recognized by Christians as a divine being; as the Son of God. His teachings and his set of values persist to this day as the Golden Rule. They have become the cardinal point of reference for all humans. If we adopt his teachings we may attain a behavior by means of which, and only by means of which, there can be peace and love among us; values that some do not honor too obediently, if at all.
Be that as it may, Jesus is also a historical turning point from the lengthening darkness upon man's existence to the growing light for the spirit of all. It is no surprise, then, that the feast of rebirth for the soul should coincide with the Winter Solstice. Christmas is celebrated December 25, but this does not mean that Jesus was born on a December 25. Suffice it to say that his birth is, to some, the birth of light. The Christian world adopted the pagan holiday to commemorate Christianity's most Holy Day.
But it sure ain't like it used to be. Some people actually suffer during these days. These are now days of obligated gladness, obligated happiness, obligated boozing, obligated gorging, obligated merrymaking, obligated staying up late, and obligated shopping sprees. It's like a feeding frenzy among sharks. Exotic trees are imported and adorned with very few symbols of what this is all about. Hey, troops, this is all about love. It's only about love. Love for your spouse, for your children, for your friends, for your enemies, and even for your political opponents (which, to some, are the worst scum on earth, although everybody is a political opponent to somebody). Why is it that we are so uptight about expressing love? We feel sissified if we demonstrate affection. Instead of spending all that money on gifts, why don’t we gift love, and hugs, and caresses, and apologies, instead? Naahh. Too expensive for the ego.
No, of course Santa isn't from here. But we don't have to get patriotically chauvinistic or political about Christmas just because of Santa. Hey, the Three Kings aren't from here either. We celebrate their visit to Jesus in Bethlehem because what we should really be celebrating is the birth of Jesus: the turning point from humanity's gloom to humanity's light. The gathering place for Christmas is no longer our parents' home. Nor is it the churches. It is the shopping malls. Maybe that's the way it should be. We sure don't have churches quite as big as malls; which is a sad commentary on our times.
Love to all!