The story of Christ birth is spiritual not commercial. It tells of three wise men who came bearing the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. There is meaning even in the gifts they gave.
They brought him gold, a gift fit for a king. As told, Jesus was born to be king; not an earthly king, mind you, who rules over a particular political or geographical area. Jesus came to rule over people's hearts, and to rule not from a throne, but from a cradle, and then from a cross. And he rules not by force, but by love.
They brought him the gift of frankincense; a gift for a priest. Frankincense is a
sweet perfume or incense used by priests in the temple worship and its sacrifices. The
role of the priest was to act as a mediator between God and the people. In fact, the
word "priest" means literally a "bridge-builder." In his work and person he bridges the
gap between God and people, bringing the two near to one another.
And the wise men brought the gift of myrrh; a gift for one who is to die. Myrrh was
used to embalm the bodies of the dead. Early on the morning of the third day of the
crucifixion, the women came to the tomb bringing this spice to anoint Jesus' body.
Jesus came into the world to die; He was born to die. (As are we all)
So where is the Christ in Christmas today and why should his name be removed. Here are my top ten reasons this holiday season:
10:
What's the meaning
9:
And the meaning of these gifts
8:
Avarice: extreme greed for wealth
7:
Greed
6:
I Want
5:
Drinking until you have to drive home
4:
While some starve
3:
He served his country, and is forgotten
2:
Will do anything to live, while we bailout finance companies
He died so some ass could get a great deal on an XBox or 42" TV while Christ was no where to be found
But hey you can still enjoy Xmas and the seven deadly sins (pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth) that the season has come to represent. And don't kid yourself going to church on Christmas, having a Nativity Scene in your yard or on your mantle doesn't mean you aren't one of "those people". Look under your tree (purchased from amongst any number of other dead trees that will be on the curb a week after for a price that would have fed some family) what is the meaning of any gift given or received, appreciated or not. Like Christ you are born to die and you can pray until your knees bleed, but if you partake in the greedy, commercial tradition that His birth has come to represent then just call it Xmas and move on. His birth had meaning, the three gifts he was given had meaning, we give his life and death meaning; but for the most part it's all about getting something you really don't need.
