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November 27, 2004

Christmas Acrostic

Here is a selection from AFE in honor of the madness of yesterday, the day after Thanksgiving.

Textual note: Selections from Ache From Eternity: A Journey in Verse, which was written some ten years ago, sometimes speak with more directness and surety than I would likely write with now. Indeed, some might border on stridence. One day I will post a conclusion I wrote five years after writing AFE that details this shift. Even so, the effect these selections have on me is often quite interesting. Often times I am encouraged by my own words to have more faith and trust. This selection I like quite well and am eager to put into practice this holiday season. And, I really like this acrostic.

Christmas Acrostic

Advent of the god of greed.
Matter sought to sate the spirit
Assuages not the crying need.
Silent, still, crushed hearts are bleeding,
So wholeness can't be bought by men...
_______________________________

Advent of the Prince of Peace

Matter sought by God the Spirit;
A robe of flesh to meet man's need
Silent, still, His form would bleed
So wholeness could be had again.

Christmas is as much the principal holy day in the religion of materialism as it is in Christianity it seems. Like no other time during the year material goods are venerated as the source of happiness. It is true that this hollow philosophy is cloaked under the noble activity of gift giving, but the cloak is thin indeed as surely gift giving can be simpler and still equally meaningful. The reaction called for is not the whip in hand purging of the temple, however, because such buying and selling is centered in the separate temples of materialism. Our reaction as Christian should be one of pity: pity for the lives that wallow in the emptiness of post-Christmas depression; pity for those who have been fed the lie that things can bring happiness, only to find the promise empty.

To be sure, we as Christians can stoop to the syncretism of being caught up in the frenzy too, but when we do we are selling our birthright to far greater riches. True Christian celebration of Christmas is a partaking in the mass of Christ's birth not in amassing material pleasures. Mass is a term borrowed from the Catholic church and one that Protestants may shy away from, but it simply means a celebration of the Eucharist or communion. At the heart of its meaning is the heart of all Christianity, the partaking in Christ, for it is only in partaking in Christ that we can be truly filled. What is called for then is not a humbug- like celebration of Christmas where Christians withdraw entirely from the more worldly celebrations of Christmas, for they too can be expressions of joy, but through it all we should focus on and bring others to the true cause of rejoicing, the gift of Christ to a needy world.

| By jackdas | 9:25 PM

Comments

Posted by: Anonymous at December 12, 2004 11:12 PM

Email "Christmas Acrostic" to a friend!