Yea, i bet Jesus LOVES that!
That's probably why Christmas gift giving is so heavily discussed in the Bible :-)
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| Jesus & Santa Though, i am sarcastic in using this pic - i do not really think that is what Jesus would really want. |
As i ran around getting the obligatory Christmas gifts for friends and family this year, i thought it would be really virtuous, impressive, and truly Christian of people to forgo the giving of wrapped, luxury gifts at Christmas and instead gave things anonymously to needy people they didn't know. (Not that i, personally, am that virtuous - or brave!!;-)
i don't, however, mention this to encourage us to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, that would be dishonest. That would kill the economy (which would make it unAmerican too, i think, right?)
Of course, if we were to honor Jesus on his birthday, we would do that by acting as he would act. Forgiving our friends and family all their faults and shortcomings, giving unto Caeser that which is his, and giving the rest of our possessions away to the poor, associating with and creating friendships with outcasts and diseased people, meditating a lot and knowing that heaven was already at hand.
...or, we could just imitate the fat guy in the funny suit instead! ;-) :-)
Personally, i am hovering some place between the two ideas. Because, i am observing, that's apparently what i need to be going through right now.
However you do it, i hope too have a very happy December 25th!!:-)
(Photo image found here.)
That reminds me of South Park's Jesus vs. Santa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSQczYEeB2w
ReplyDeleteThanks Marcus, i love South Park. That clip is from their early years though, a bit more rough before they matured a bit. Be warned everybody, that strip is a steady stream of taboo language.
ReplyDeleteLoved the message of this post....and great cartoon to go along with it. Have you ever read Shane Claiborne? I read his book "Irresistible Revolution", it's a great reminder for all on the importance of living like Christ.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a merry Christmas! :)
They did a reenactment of Jesus' birthday on one of my favorite piazzas in Rome this year, covered by one of my favorite blogs: http://thepinesofrome.blogspot.com/2011/12/trasteveres-living-nativity-scene.html
ReplyDeleteVery nice ideas in this post :) Good to read...
ReplyDeleteBut, I am a bit surprised, don't you know that Christmas is not actually the "birthday" of Jesus Christ? You can search on the internet and find so many credible sources telling that... They asked all to celebrate Christmas but know that it is not Christ's birthday...
LOL, thank you Rahul, but of course i do know that Christmas is not actually Jesus's birthday, it is just a symbol, but i don't see this as an important point - if we aim to honor him on that day (no matter what the reason for choosing that day), we should do so by imitating him, for the good of all:-)
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