Usually, around the holidays, I find myself feeling very sad. Last year, I was actually deeply depressed due to some bad seasonal affective disorder. This year, I feel like I am ok. I am feeling a little disappointed, but overall, pretty good.
The reason I usually feel sad is because the true meaning of Christmas has gotten so lost over the years, that no one really knows what we are celebrating anymore. Lately, it seems that we are celebrating the willingness to kill other people just to get your Christmas shopping done. The commercialism of Christmas has gotten so bad. It's starting to butt it's head into Halloween for goodness sake! It has also gotten to the point where you can't even wish anyone a Merry Christmas anymore because God forbid you "offend" someone. You have to be PC and say Happy Holidays. Bah humbug.
The real reason for Christmas is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This helpless little baby, who can't even talk is born to a couple who are poor and giving birth to their child in a stable. This helpless baby will one day grow up to be the greatest man who ever lived, and will die on the cross to save the sins of the world.
Now, this is Jesus we're talking about here. He could have been born in a palace, on a warm day in a warm bed, to a rich couple who would raise him like a prince. He could have chosen ANYONE to give birth to him. But no. He chose sweet, innocent Mary. Her being a virgin made his birth that much more miraculous. He didn't choose to be born with pomp and circumstance, but humbly and quietly in a manger. Sure, people knew he was being born and traveled miles and miles to come see him. But that night, Jesus was born so that one day, you and I could come to know him as our personal Lord and Savior.
That is why we celebrate Christmas. To quote Linus from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special (or more realistically, Luke 2:8-14):
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
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