I have
decided to start my own “Take Back Christmas” campaign not because I am opposed
to the commercialism of the holiday or that I believe, as some would assert,
that “Jesus is the only reason for
the season,” or because I subscribe to the notion that there is a “war on
Christmas” in our country. I want to “Take Back Christmas” because I believe
there is great value for us in discovering the deep truths in the traditional
Christmas story. Understood as a metaphor for our own spiritual journey, the familiar
traditional Christmas story can provide great insight into our own journeys
toward giving birth to the Christ in our conscious awareness.
Charles
Fillmore, the cofounder of Unity, taught that all people, places, animals and
inanimate objects in every Bible story, when approached from a metaphysical
perspective, represent aspects of each of us. The Christmas story, also known
as the nativity of Jesus, is no exception.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the shepherd, wise men, angels, sheep, and the star
all signify aspects of what occurs in our consciousness as we progress along
our path to conscious acceptance of the Christ within and living from the
consciousness of unity.
I encourage
us to “Take Back Christmas” even if, and especially if you have previously given up on the story because you question the extant story’s
historical accuracy; or because you no longer believe in the hardcore
tradition that Jesus is the one and only son of God sent to save us from our
sins; or even if you no longer consider conventional Christianity your
spiritual path. I invite us to “Take Back Christmas” this year and reclaim the
story as a glorious depiction of our story, yours and mine.
Beginning
this Sunday and continuing through each Sunday in Advent, I will be introducing
aspects of the Christmas story in my lessons during our 10:00 a.m. service. Our
Youth and Family Ministry will also be acquainting our children and teens to
the metaphysical understanding of the Christmas story. This Sunday, we will
meet Joseph, and explore the aspects of ourselves he embodies. We will also
consider how understanding Joseph from a metaphysical perspective, along with
the qualities he embodies and the qualities he displays, can assist us as we
make the commitment to the Christ within.
I invite you
to join us and bring your children. Together, we can come together to “Take
Back Christmas” and understand its original intent and meaning for ourselves
and for our children.
Luke 2 1-20 and beyond! I look forward to the connection to and reminder about bible as empowering text. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love the thought that Christmas actually began before the birth of Jesus. There was a decade in my past, the 1980s, where I considered myself an atheist, but still found reason to celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. My thought was that generosity, kindness, giving and making others happy is something that any Atheist, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Taoist and human being can agree are things that benefit our loved ones. So lets do it. Take Christmas back Rev! The support line forms to the left!
ReplyDeleteYes! Christmas has always held a special, magical place in my heart. Thank you David for delving into the Christmas story and inspiring us to take Christmas back. It makes me think of "keeping Christmas" in the story of Scrooge:))
ReplyDeleteYour talk this morning was one of the most inspirational I have heard at church in a long time. Thank you so much.
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