Some Christmas History

Just thought I would share a little knowledge to get you in the "CHRISTmas" spirit. This was something that our pastor wrote in our montly newsletter and I thought interesting and worth sharing. Merry Christmas!! :)

Sometime this Christmas you will probably be reminded ofthe “urban legend” that “Christmas” is the Christianizing ofan old Roman pagan holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invictimeans "the birthday of the unconquered Sun." This isa popular view, but hardly correct and potentiallymisleading. It is misleading, in my view, because ittends to encourage the view that“Christmas is what you make of it,”rather than receiving what God makesand does for us. So…then Christmas,wrongly, becomes about our personalplans, celebrations, gift buying, giftreceiving, cooking, cleaning, partying, budgetstretching.Scholars realize today that the original calculationsof December 25 as the birthday of Jesus had nothingat all to do with the winter solstice or any paganRoman holiday.Instead, the birth of Jesus was calculated in terms ofhis death (which was thought to be on March 25according to the Old Roman Solar Calendar). Now, ifyou do your math right, you will discover that exactly ninemonths after March 25 is December 25. That is, theearliest Christmas traditions on record chooseDecember 25 as the date of Christ’s birth because theearliest Christians believed that Jesus was crucifiedon the anniversary of his conception by the HolySpirit!Wow! Christmas, then, was conceived (pun intended)to celebrate the very purpose of the life of the ChildChrist who becomes the lamb who takesaway the sin of the world…think aboutit, the SIN OF THE WORLD!It is only by coincidence, or thefortunate alignment of parallel universes(sacred and secular) that Christmas alsocoincides with the winter solstice…the day of leastsunlight reminding us of the terrible darkness of life…and I would dare say Christmas, without Christ.I invite you, this Christmas, to be intentional about the“parallel universes,” sacred and secular, that converge inthe Christmas Season. Enjoy the secular and all itoffers….but cherish, nurture, and receive with awe thesacred birth of the child Christ, whose brings light to thedarkest corners of the world and whose very conception wasfor the sake of all people, all relationships, and all Hope!