By Rev. Dr. Ed Hird
How does your family celebrate Christmas? Is having a turkey at Christmas part of your
tradition? Does your family put out a
Nativity scene? The term nativity comes
from the Latin nativus, which means
‘arisen by birth’. One of the most
popular Christmas Carols Felix Navida
was written in 1970 by the blind Puerto
Rican singer and songwriter José Feliciano’. Felix Navida in Spanish essentially means ‘Happy Birth’. It is easy to forget that Christmas at its
heart is a birthday celebration. I don’t
know about you, but I love birthdays. Maybe that is why I love Christmas.
One of my earliest Deep
Cove Crier articles, co-written with my wife Janice, was about birth, the
birth of Jesus at Christmas. Janice wrote: “Decorating for Christmas was always
a wonderful time in our house. First we would go buy a real tree at the tree
lot, set it up in the window, and start decorating. Not only did we decorate
the tree but my dad also put miniature lights around this huge mirror and set
up the angels dancing around the candle chimes. My little brother’s eyes would
glow when we turned off the normal lighting and just left the Christmas lights
on in the living room. What a beautiful sight!”
Ed added: As a child, I loved the presents, the lights, the
turkey, and the tinsels… As a teen, I became cynical about Christmas and wrote
it off as commercial exploitation. At age 17, I met some friends who had a joy
and inner peace that really attracted me to them. Christmas still excited them. I asked them:
“Why?” They told me they were excited about a child in a manger. At age 17, I
too came to know that child. I made a manger for Him in my heart. Once again
Christmas stirred within me “Peace on Earth, Good will to Men” Once again I
could sing “Joy to the World” and really mean it.
Each Christmas we are given another opportunity to have a
real fun birthday party. We don’t need to do Christmas perfectly. What if we could simply enjoy the
season? As we gather around the
Christmas manger, we are reminded that we are deeply loved and we are never
alone. It is not a coincidence that
people love to sing at Christmas time. Christmas touches our hearts in
unexpected ways. Christmas breaks
through our adult cynicism and gives us child-like joy and peace, if only for a
short time. What might help your
Christmas this year be more child-like?
What burdens do you need to lay aside so that you can enter into the
mystery of this holy, joyful season?
Our 2017 Christmas prayer is that all the Deep Cove Crier
readers feel the peace of that little baby lying in the manger.
Merry Christmas!
Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, Rector, Simon’s Church North Vancouver
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4 comments:
Thanks Ed, for sharing Janice's and your Christmas reflections. You convey the childlike warmhearted joy and wonder that have the potential to soften and melt cynicism, opening the heart to the love of God and the peace of His presence. ~~+~~
Good words and am in full agreement with Peter's comments. Love the 'prompt' to become as a child at Christmas and beyond.
You are so encouraging, Peter. Thanks
Thank you, Glynis
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