Christmas 2009

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and saying….

The apostle Luke tells the tale of the magic of Christmas in a most straightforward manner, like a reporter on the scene. Many of the visual’s we have of Christmas, the manger, the shepherds, the angels, no room at the inn come from Luke. But Luke’s Christmas story is also one of inclusion.

The folks around Bethlehem were invited to participate in the event. They weren’t believers; they didn’t have a clue what to believe or what was going on. They were, however invited.

So we Christians invite everyone to participate in any way they like. They can join us at church, or simply at dinner. They can help trim a tree, or come to a party. They can take their kids to see Santa, in one of his many forms, and retell this saint’s magical story again and again.

When we say “Merry Christmas” it is an invitation to be a part of the magic. The same words said in return simply acknowledge the season. It’s not a way to invite you to believe, but to enjoy the warm and wonderful magic of this time of year. “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” are fine, but they don’t convey the message.

At this wonderful, magical time of the year, everyone is welcome. Don’t change, don’t convert, don’t be uncomfortable, but come and enjoy the fun, the excitement, the magic.

Merry Christmas