In a nation currently beset by enmity and disagreement and a pervasive focus on our differences, today brings a message of hope and peace. No matter your faith, Christmas is a time for reflection that is enriched by the bonds of family, charity and shared humanity.
For many Americans and many people throughout the world, today celebrates the birth of Christ and the promise of eternal life. But regardless of one’s reason for acknowledging Christmas and regardless of one’s personal beliefs, the message found in Christianity is profound. As Jesus said, according to John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
The power of that message has endured for two millennia, surviving humanity’s penchant for self-destruction. In an age that seems especially marred by strife and discord, an age in which we are all too quick to willingly segregate ourselves along religious or political lines, a call to love one another must transcend those differences.
It is when love and understanding and compassion become preeminent that the true miracle of the Christmas season occurs. Those traits are highlighted at this time of year, a time when “Peace on Earth” becomes a mantra for both the religious and the secular, with constant exhortations appearing in the songs of the season or on greeting cards or in personal salutations.
While we are quick to embrace those messages of love and peace, we also are left to question why they are limited to a singular season.
It was in the fall of 1897, after all, that editorial writer Francis Pharcellus Church of The New York Sun famously wrote: “The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are seen and unseeable in the world.”
Church was responding to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon asking whether there is a Santa Claus — a fairly narrow question. Yet the wonderment expressed in his answer should linger and sustain us throughout the year instead of being restricted to the days around Christmas. Perhaps by embracing the joy and the meaning of the season, we all can help change the world for the better.
Goodness knows, that can be difficult, given our inherent human fallibility. And it can be obfuscated, given Americans’ penchant for turning Christmas into a commercial exercise that often blurs the meaning of the season. But it is necessary for us to thrive as a community.
Whether or not one believes in the Christian faith, we hope that Christmas fosters a lasting connection with family, friends and neighbors. Messages of peace on Earth and glad tidings too often engender little more than lip service during this cynical age; instead, they should provide a blueprint that guides us throughout the year.
Those messages, after all, are compelling, and they are echoed by various faiths around the globe. They warrant prominence in our daily activities.
Whether it is in celebration of the birth of Christ or whether it is simply an acknowledgement of the need to love and respect our neighbors, we encourage all to find meaningful peace during the holiday season.
Merry Christmas to all.
