The Reason For The Season

I can't believe how much I'm wrestling with this at this very moment! I had to write this down otherwise it's very possible I will burst.. or never write it down and perhaps some need to hear this...

Every year the radio's dance with Christmas songs ranging from Peanuts.. to Burl Ives.. and the traditional sacred ones like Away in a Manger, O Holy Night (my personal favorite) and the like. I just finished reading Saint's Christmas story which I encourage one and all to read. It takes the reader into the true Christmas story from an entirely different perspective and, for me, reiterates the whole point of this season. It didn't end with the birth, it began! Anyways, it made me wonder what people think of the whole Christmas season. There's so much banter about removing "CHRISTMAS" from the holiday season branding and simply using the term "Holidays" instead to make it more generic and less religiously offensive. That's a whole other issue, but I even witnessed Jim Carey address that on Ellen yesterday... it was comical but his point was strong that it's simply ridiculous.

So pondering that and listening to all these Christmas songs.. I wonder.. Oh.. do I wonder, how many people realize when they sing such songs as O Holy Night.. if they realize what they are singing ACTUALLY happened!! Or how about Angels We have Heard on High? If that magnitude of angelic visitation happened to a mass of people today, perhaps CNN might cover it (or not).. but such a sign and a wonder would be quite amazing. And yet, a significant part of the world, be it agnostic, church-going, non-church going, atheist or whatever.. sing these songs casually right up there with Jingle Bells and I wonder.. do they have ANY IDEA what they are singing about? And that what they are singing about is TRUE?

I recall some years ago attending a Christmas service with someone very close to me.. and the song in the set being sung was "Go Tell it on the Mountain" - yes, that is a Christmas song :) This person was all excited and singing jubilantly "....that Jesus Christ is born!!". And yet, this person is very clear that they are not a Christian and seems to tend on the side of agnostic. So I've been asking myself.. what does the rest of the world think they are singing about in such songs?

*sigh*

I guess for the first time in years.. it's my honest and heartful prayer that people will think about all these songs and ask themselves ".... did all this really happen, or is it more fairy tale stuff?". Can this Christmas be different then years past? Why not! Perhaps we need to read renditions of the true story of Christmas (like what Saint wrote) and not keep it limited to Ralphie and his Red Rider BB Gun and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.

I love all those movies... don't get me wrong. But I'm feeling burdened that many of us need go back in time to look at what "actually" took place all those years ago.. if weren't for that event.. we'd have no hope in eternity.