Many full- blooded, loyal, dedicated Christians would admit that their God, The Son Jesus, never indicated that His birth should be celebrated every December.
Instead, He did advise his disciples and all followers then that His Passing should be observed. “Keep doing this in remembrance of Me,” He indicated. That’s why Easter is way older than any Christmas.
So How Come Christmas? Why December? And just Who should we remember relevant to Jesus’ Birth? Why?
Well you are now invited to spare a few minutes Today to reflect on events and moreso, some personalities and characters who gave impetus and reason for this Celebration called “Christmas.” The word itself is derived from an early English phrase, “Christes Maesse,” meaning “the Mass of Christ.”
With the maximum respect possible, I begin with the Creator himself, God. God? Of course! God the Father. And numerous other descriptions: “The Supreme Being and Reality worshipped as the Creator and Ruler of our Universe;” the Almighty; God the Heavenly Father.
The Human, More Mortal Christmas-Time Players
Relying solely on the Christians (?) Holy Bible, those interested could discover the character of many relevant personalities.
But Christian anthropologists and other theological scholars have long discovered other intimate facts that the Bible Recorders-like Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc-chose to omit. Knowingly or actually without the insights. We have no scope for that in this brief. That is why you readers should devote time to find out all possible about those present just before and after the Holy Birth.
Just who was the little Nazarene teenager Mary? Why and how was she chosen? Little is known of her life—and death. The Gospels indicate that before an angel informed her of her Immaculate Conception-when she was sixteen or eighteen—she discussed her impending Virgin Birth with her older cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Very little is recorded of her life as the mother of Israel’s Messiah—either in Nazareth, Lower Galilee or in Egypt, North Africa where she ran for security with her husband and Baby. So, too, about her matured husband, Joseph the Nazarene Carpenter.
For our purposes today, it is worthy to note that despite his initial doubts regarding his young fiancée Mary’s fidelity, he accepted the angelic advice that the miraculous birth was God’s purpose and remained a good husband and devoted and understanding foster father.
So find out this week too: Who was the Inn keeper who allowed Mary and Joseph to use his stable/manger as an unlikely but welcome birth price? Besides Joseph’s presence was anyone else present to assist with Mary’s delivery of the Holy Child? Who were the shepherds minding their flocks of sheep at that hour? And the three Kings? Really from the Eastern Orient?
Very much is known of the Roman Caesar (King) Augustus, the Roman emperor at the time of the Birth as well as the terrible but talented Herod, who was Prime Minister/King of Judea including Nazareth and Jesus’ Birthplace Bethlehem.
How many infant boy-babies did that Builder King kill in his jealous bid to eliminate the Baby Jesus, who had to be whisked off to Egypt?
The characters in the Birth of Christ 2022 years ago are too numerous to detail here. But again, good Christians and all others interested are invited to explore their presence. From Mary and Joseph; from angels and shepherds to Caesars and other Kings, Jesus’ Birth was surrounded by notables of the times.
Enjoy a Christmas of reflection. – AAF