The Work of Christmas

Fifty-nine years before the birth of Christ, in an aristocratic community of Rome, a very important child was born. As soon as he arrived, a messenger raced into the Roman Senate and announced, “The next ruler of the world is born.” His name was Gaius Octavius, and he was destined to become the adopted son of Julius Caesar. He grew up in the palace. He was educated by the finest teachers of literature, philosophy and government. And at the age of 32 he was the uncontested ruler of the entire Roman Republic. He just had to give the word and armies would march and ships would sail. He just had to give the word and the world would move for him. When he was 36, the Senate gave him the name Augustus, meaning “the exalted one,” and he became known as Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome.

When he was about 59 years old, “In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.” It was during this census that another child was born in a very unimportant village, in a very insignificant part of the empire. No Roman messengers ran to announce his birth to the Senate. Instead, it was God’s own angelic messenger who announced the birth of Jesus to the least of the inhabitants of the empire, a small band of shepherds watching over their sheep. “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11).

But how does Christmas really work?

One place to begin to answer this question is the Internet, which conveniently enough includes a site called “How Christmas Works.” It’s a one-stop shop for all your questions about the holiday.

Questions like, “Why do people give each other presents on Christmas Day?” Or, “Is December 25th really the day Jesus was born?” Then there’s the mistletoe mystery. What does it have to do with the Christmas story? Absolutely nothing.

And how about the 12 days of Christmas? What’s that about? Aren’t there like about 30 days of Christmas, from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day?

Of course there are answers to these questions for those who are truly interested. The point is, a cultural and religious tradition like Christmas takes years, even centuries, of formation until it becomes the event it is today, enshrined in the global consciousness in one way or another. Christmas works, and it works via these traditions and legends and customs that have evolved over time.

What happens is that all of these cultural accretions help us to “put on” Christmas. To do it right.

But how does it work? Really work?

It works when we remember that Christmas now, as then, is a dangerous business. It is dangerous because it evokes dreams and hopes.

Christmas is not easy, and in fact it can be costly, because it demands that we put “the hopes and fears of all the years” to work. It calls on us to give muscle to our aspirations and dreams. And that’s not easy. But if we do it, Christmas works.

Christmas works when we shatter the false gods of materialism, and the idols of ambition, and the demons of self-importance, and set up the Christ child as the promise and priority of our lives. When Christ is the center of our daily living, then the other demons will fade away.

Recall that moment in the film, A Beautiful Mind, when John Nash, played by Russell Crowe, has come to terms with his demons. They’re still there, but he ignores them, and there’s a scene when these demons, being ignored, appear sad, and understand that they no longer exert the influence over Nash that they used to.

When we honor Christ, and not the culture of Christmas, as it were, then Christmas, ironically, really works. For the demons, while there, have no control.

There is a story about a fellow named Sam who volunteered at his church.

One day the pastor said to Sam, “I have a group of young people who go to a nursing home and put on a worship service once a month. Would you mind driving them to the old folks home each month?” Sam agreed.

The first Sunday that Sam was at the old folks home, he was in the back with his arms folded as the kids were doing their thing up front. All of a sudden, someone was tugging at his arm. He looked down, and here was this old man in a wheelchair. Sam took hold of the man’s hand and the fellow held Sam’s hand all during the service. The following month, the same thing happened. The man in the wheelchair came and held Sam’s hand.

The next month, the next month, and the next month.

Then the old man wasn’t there. Sam inquired and he was told, “Oh, he’s down the hall, right hand side, third door. He’s dying. He’s unconscious, but if you want to go down and pray with him, that’s all right.”

Sam went and there were tubes and wires hanging out all over the place. He took the old man’s hand and prayed that God would receive the man, that God would bring the man from this life into the next and give him eternal blessings.

As soon as he finished the prayer, the old man squeezed Sam’s hand and Sam knew that he had been heard. He was so moved by this that tears began to run down his cheeks.

He stumbled out of the room and as he did so he bumped into a woman. She said, “He’s been waiting for you. He said that he didn’t want to die until he had the chance to hold the hand of Jesus one more time.”

Sam was amazed at this. He said, “What do you mean?”

She said, “Well, my father would say that once a month Jesus came to this place. ‘He would take my hand and he would hold my hand for a whole hour. I don’t want to die until I have the chance to hold the hand of Jesus one more time.’”

Christmas works when we let Jesus take us into unfamiliar territory – a nursing home, a neighbor’s home, or into something even more radical, like an attitude adjustment, a generous spirit, or a helping hand.

Howard Thurman’s poem, The Work of Christmas, sums it up well.

When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

The point is that whenever and wherever we go, we are the hand of Jesus to others, and when that happens – Christmas happens. Christmas works. May the joy of Christmas work in your heart this Christmas Day.