“And so this is Christmas for weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones the world is so wrong “wrote John Lennon in his famous song.
These days, for many in Australia, Christmas has simply degenerated into a chaotic shopping spree to the blaring sounds of nonsensical winter carols, a fake plastic poplar tree festooned with brightly coloured baubles, a plethora of charmingly boxed gifts often bought “on special”, a lavish roast or barbecue with a little extra alcohol – and all of it wrapped around a guilty sense of false bonhomie and yuletide cheer toward one’s wider family and friends.
It has become something between an embarrassing childish charade and an expensive seasonal travesty of commonsense. Yet, here it comes again – and vast numbers of mature, intelligent adults across a wide range of business categories loudly applaud it and milk it as a premium opportunity to make yet another dollar.
Its initial purpose is all but forgotten; its original meaning is now meaningless.
Luckily, for a few today it reminds us of the birth of an Idea.
That Idea expressed Itself as: “I and my Father are One”.
That Idea was so strong that the man who expressed it backed it up by asserting “I can of my own self do nothing”. And then he went on to live it as if it was the only thing that mattered.
The Expressor of that Idea was a man we call Jesus. A rebellious Jew who would surely have rebelled against today’s Christianity, too. Just an ordinary soul like you and I. Yet he had an understanding that was so profound, so real that he would ultimately die for it (even “though he could easily have walked away from the Idea at any time and lived a pleasant life under Roman rule).
That is why he is special. He lived his understanding. He was his Idea. Even the fear – and then the reality – of a most grisly, barbaric, torturous and agonising death couldn’t shift him.
Do you and I have that much faith in that self-same Idea?
Do we live it on a daily basis? Do we routinely express our individual form of the Divine Presence in the Present?
If we do then we know that it’s our authentic Presence which should form our presents this year.
That Idea is the ultimate antidote to the momentous chaos, the wrong, the fear, which embroils this world today. Each of us already carries this Idea within us. When we birth it we give it a body – our own body – to grow into.
We give it feet to walk with, a heart to love with, hands to hug with, eyes to see clearly with, loving thoughts to think with, a voice to share with”.
We bring it to life. “I and my Father are One”.
Now, that’s worth celebrating!!!
John finished his song with:
“And so happy Christmas for black and for white, For yellow and red ones – let’s stop all the fight!
A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Let’s hope it’s a good one without any fear!”
What else is there to say? Happy Christmas!
Boundless Love
Les