Thursday, December 8, 2011

"The Power of Christmas"

Christmas isn't Christmas for me until I watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"  I watch it, I read it, I wear it! Why?  Because I believe it carries a truth that reflects my faith and has the 'Power of Christmas' wrapped in its story.

The Grinch's heart grows 3 sizes when he hears every Who down in Whoville singing.  The Who stand close together, hand-in-hand, singing, singing, SINGING!  The Grinch realizes he has not stopped Christmas from coming.  Again this year it occurs to me that some folk seem intent on stopping Christmas from coming.

A politician suggests there is nothing wrong with profiling only Muslims.  And just how do we know who is a Muslim and who isn't?  School age children-CHILDREN-justify their beating of a classmate by saying the way he 'acted' made them uncomfortable.  When did we decide how a person speaks, walks, gestures is a threat to us?  A politician suggests poor children need to be required to work so they will learn what work is and not forever be destined to replay their parents poverty.  Poverty is too complex for such simplistic decisions and ignores societies role in the circumstances of poverty.

As a nation we support the efforts of other nations to remove dictators and regimes and have free, democratic elections.  Yet when the 'wrong' parties or groups win more seats than others the validity of the election is questioned and we do not support the results.  You don't want the wrong people being elected!  I am old enough to remember the questioning about a Catholic being elected president of the United States.  Now there have been some murmurings about a Mormon being elected president.  When will all of this division end?

The voices clamor shouting, fear, fear, FEAR!  Christmas is coming-won't you hear?
Talk all you want about the differences and separate yourself from the OTHERS.  Christmas is coming and it's time to be brothers.
Times are hard and challenging and there is much that is wrong.  Yet Christmas is coming-time to once again be strong.
If we really want hearts to change and grow with new insight; then we need to stand close together, hand-in-hand, singing the good news of a Christmas night.
The Power of Christmas, no matter what, is unity in LOVE.  And that Power came long ago from heaven above!  (with apologies to Dr. Seuss for my rhyming skills)