It’s good for us to recognize that there are two Christmases; one true, the other a pale imitation.
This “two Christmases” thing sometimes peeks out when we have the inevitable yearly discussion of the war on Christmas: when this store or that store doesn’t say “Merry Christmas” but instead “Happy Holidays” or something like that. This often leads to a frustration over the fact that the world won’t recognize the time of year for what it truly is.
But if the world says “Merry Christmas” does that really make it Christmas? I would argue, emphatically, “no.” What makes it truly Christmas? Here’s what: Faith, working in the Christian, when he comes to the Divine Service to hear and believe the words of our Lord about His birth, and to receive from the Lord His very body and blood; And also faith, working in the Christian, leading her to recognize that it is a good confession before the world to be in the Divine Service on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, rather than doing what the world does: waking up, opening presents, and acting as if Christmas Day itself has nothing to do with the birth of our Lord Jesus.
Everything we do teaches something to each other and the world: if there would be no Christmas without the birth of Jesus and the Church’s gathering to worship on that day to begin with, then what happens when the Church stops gathering on that day to worship? What does Christmas become? What do children think Christmas Day is, if the gifts of Christ in the Divine Service aren’t a central part of it?
We’re not saved by whether we enter into the presence of our Lord in the Divine Service on Christmas Day or not. We are saved by grace, through faith, on account of Christ. The question then is this: how important is it to gather together as the Body of Christ on Christmas Day or any other? After all, this is the way in which He has ordained His Body to gather together so that faith can be obtained and strengthened! (A prayerful meditation on the 3rd Commandment and its meaning can be helpful here.)
I think in the answer to the above question is where we will discover the one, true Christmas, and leave behind the other Christmas as defined by the world. What do you think?
Here are the times for us to gather and receive, from Christ, His Christmas forgiveness in Word and Sacrament:
- Christmas Eve Family Service: 12/24 at 6:00 p.m.
- Christmas Eve Candlelight Divine Service: 12/24 at 8:30 p.m.
- Christmas Eve Midnight Candlelight Divine Service: 12/24 at 11:00 p.m.
- Christmas Day Festival Divine Service: 12/25 at 10:00 a.m.
I can’t wait to share the “good news of great joy” with you in just under a week. Thanks be to God for His gracious salvation!
In the peace of Christ,
Pastor Schuermann