The Words of Christmas

We have heard the sounds of Christmas; we have seen the sights of Christmas, and have felt the feelings of Christmas, and now for a moment may we mention the words of Christmas − words with which it is inseparably associated, such words as family, friends, fellowship and feasting; trees and trimmings; secrets and surprises; gifts and giving. At Christmas there are warmer feelings from stranger to stranger, from friend to friend, always with a mellowing influence, and with curt comment less likely to occur. As a poet has put it: “Oh, somehow it seems to me that at Christmas, man is almost what God sent him here to be.” There are other words that come to mind at Christmas: music and memories; beloved faces; vacant chairs; loved ones with us, loved ones away; home, and love, and peace − which are surely among the world’s most wonderful words. “Love one another,” “love our neighbour,” “love . . .the stranger,” scripture says, and even “love . . . our enemies,” “love the Lord with all our hearts” − and even love ourselves, by living so as to have happiness. And as to peace − peace within as well as without, the peace of which the angels sang at the birth of the Prince of Peace − in such a time as ours we may well search ourselves to see what words pertain to peace. Peace is not passive but positive. It is service; it is sharing; it is fairness; honesty, cleanliness of thought and conduct; it is a clear and quiet conscience; it is freedom from quarreling and conflict; it is living within law, and it comes with loving men and proving it, and loving God and keeping His commandments. And now the final word concerning Christmas: and that is Christ, without whom there would be no Christmas. Here and now we earnestly acknowledge from the deep certainty of our souls that Jesus is the Christ, the divine Son of God, the only begotten of the Father in the flesh, our Lord, our Savior, and Redeemer, who lived and died and came forth from death to life in a literal reality of resurrection. And with Job we would witness in these words: “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” God bless us every one, and help us all to keep within our hearts and homes the words and spirit of Christmas, and to receive this day − and always − the great gift of personal peace.