December 24, 2018 - Christmas Eve Service - A Discovery

Christmas Eve Service can be trusted to follow familiar patterns and carries on many traditions for Creator like it does for every other church. The Gospel readings this year did not vary from the traditional. The congregation sang Oh, Come All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manager and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and other Christmas hymns.

With the sermon Pastor Ray chose to present us with Dr. Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas story that clearly touches Pastor Ray's heart, probably because The Grinch film that was recently released. The way Pastor Ray told this story brought much of the sub-text in the book of the children's story into a sharper focus.

The Grinch lived alone outside the community of Whoville. He resented all who could afford presents, decorations and food for the holiday feast. He hated the most what Pastor Ray called Whoville's Kumbaya moment of singing for the holiday. By taking away all the trappings the Grinch planned to steal Christmas itself. In the end, of course, he does not succeed.

This is a story to teach the "true" value of Christmas to children and not the commercialization of the season. Seuss is telling a story through subtraction. Take away what is not of crucial value and you will discover the essence that should be celebrated. This is not about the trappings or how a person is regarded by the community but centered around love and community.

And, from my perspective, I must disagree with this premise. I appreciated this Christmas sermon as the impetus that allowed me to discover that disagreement. And I think most may disagree in our hearts on closer inspection.

Subtracting all the "trappings" of Christmas would not immediately focus the folk in Whoville to express the joy of the season by holding hands and singing their Kumbaya Who song. The so-called "trappings" are just as much about Christmas as Emmanuel. Christmas is about addition rather than subtraction. Children and their parents would not feel a complete joy of the season if all the work they put into the season vanished.

If the Grinch story is taken at face value anyway Emmanuel, God with us, is not celebrated as the central Christmas event but, instead, the Grinch singing with the Whoville community and basking in mutual love is the denouement. Emmanuel, God with us, becomes shorthand for the value we place in community and the love we can feel in the world. A compelling vision that I am wary of completely embracing.

Let's agree on what the commercialization of  Christmas means. Stores selling and consumers like me buying gifts without thinking about Jesus. The selfishness and greed those consumers show in their purchases. Instead, giving to others who are marginalized could transform our world. It assumes true change in the world is conditional on the need of the recipient of our generosity.

I don't know tht I believe that completely today. Can the world not transformed by giving those close to you? When my wife or son give me presents, my thought is not on the merchant they bought from or the monetary exchange they made. I am touched by their thoughtfulness and love which truly transforms my heart.

I doubt I will complain about the commercialization and I think I will appreciate, rather than discount, the Christmas crowds at the mall in a different way next year.

I made a discovery with this Christmas Eve service I did not expect to make. It was definitely a part of the Christmas magic.