Don’t Pack Christmas Away Just Yet

Shortly after the birth of Christ, Joseph was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with Christ and His Mother. The world was already out to ‘get’ Him. What a shame if the world had won in its battle against God. We know the story. Joseph took Christ and His Mother and left for Egypt. Thousands of innocent children were slaughtered. The world didn’t win that day, and it still hasn’t won. It would be a shame if after all these centuries we were the ones who helped the world beat Christ.

I see it too often. People are so exhausted by the time Christmas arrives; the massive clean-up begins the next day. People aren’t just cleaning up food and presents. Even the decorations begin to go away. I remember one time not too long ago, seeing a Christmas tree already on the curb for the garbage collectors the morning after Christmas. That meant the family had actually undecorated the tree Christmas night. What a shame.

As Orthodox Christians the Church had been inviting us to avoid all the holiday celebrations. Instead, we were asked to pray and fast to prepare our souls for Christmas. If you attended countless parties, by now you just want to see Christmas ‘put away’ back in the attic boxes. You don’t want to hear another Christmas carol on the radio until next year. PLEASE, just make it stop….you are thinking.

In a very small way, when we rush to ‘pack Christmas away’ we are helping the world defeat Christ. It is as if we are pushing His Saving Birth out of our minds. Even if your family suffered this year with a death or serious illness, the Birth of Christ is comfort directly from God. Since He was born, our suffering doesn’t last forever. Don’t fall victim to the world’s attempt to kill Christ just days after He is born. Herod lost that battle the first. Let’s keep it that way.

In the next two weeks the Church continues to celebrate the Birth of Christ, His Eight-Day Circumcision in the Flesh and then finally His Theophany. God has come to save us! He has come as one of us! He has come to defeat the world. That is news worth celebrating!