Tidings from Thomas
Merry Christmas!!! Today we celebrate that God became a human being and lived among us. We celebrate that God continues to live with us, within us, and among us. The angels’ proclamation to the shepherds is the same one we hear today, “to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Matthew 2:11). Christ is born for you!
There was some big excitement at the Smith house the other night. Almost of its own accord, the Christmas tree fell over. Though she was seen running from the commotion, eyewitness accounts confirm the dog was not to blame. Neither child was in the room at the time and no suspicious persons were seen loitering in the living room.
You can always tell when Christmas is around the corner because all the TV commercials have snow in them. I could go on and on about the commercialization of Christmas and the secularization of an inherently Christian holiday, but you have no doubt heard that rant. One man is often blamed for the secular hijacking of Christmas. If you haven’t met him, you’ve surely seen him around town. I am writing, of course, about Santa Claus.
It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is just around the corner. As a child, Christmas was a magic time of year. It seemed that Christmas would never arrive and then when the wonderful day arrived, it was a time filled with wonder and joy. Of course, there were presents, but there were also family gatherings, and special foods and unoccupied days to keep the joy of December 25th rolling until the dreaded day came and we returned to school.
