Diversity and the Reason for the Season

The Reason for the Season

In

An increasingly Diverse Culture

Written by Dan McDonald

 

The Christmas tree display at NYC’s Metropolitan Museum, December 2014

 

            I know that during this time of each year there are a number of blogs, memes, and articles written about the Reason for the Season. On one side there are those who believe the Christian culture in what is supposed to be a Christian nation is being attacked. Those feeling Christianity is being undermined often are seeking to defend the assumption that a reason the nation is being blessed is because of our national ties to the Christian faith. I am not going to argue against that belief. I won’t pretend to understand all the reasons why nations rise and fall, but I do believe that God has a plan for the world. We participate in that plan and it winds its way like a stream meandering towards the ocean. We are the waters that cannot truly understand our places as we journey towards the ocean but part of my understanding of faith is expressed as waiting for the fulfillment in this Advent season.

            As we anticipate Christmas Day, and participate in the cultural expression of the Christmas season, I can fully understand as Christians reminding ourselves of the Reason for the season. We want to remind ourselves that the reason for the season is not endless amounts of sweets at work, or constant hurrying and scurrying in the season of buying the most exciting gifts for our loved ones. The reason for the season, we try to tell ourselves is Jesus. I think there is a certain degree of rightness for Christians to be reminding themselves and other Christians that Christ is the reason for the season.

            At least for me I am not ready to expect others in the world around me to feel the same way about Christmas as I do. Having been once to New York City in early December, there is still plenty of evidence that the city is experiencing its Christmas season. Yet people are careful about how they share their expressing their offering of blessings to others. As one passes by Jewish temples and synagogues and universities; or sees the food trucks offering Halal prepared foods, or sees a Sikh, or is asked for a donation by a Buddhist monk, one realizes that many of these people have their own religious festivals during what we consider the Christmas Season. Those living in an environment of multiculturalism generally seek not to be unnecessarily offensive. I work in the oil industry. Often times in the oil industry companies seek out the best qualified people in the world for their skills. In an oil town or an oil industry there are almost always some Muslims working for the organization. As one gets to know people on a people to people basis there is a time and place to refrain from talking about faith matters and a time and place where one is free to discuss matters. One learns to be respectful. I think most of us, even the ones who put the memes of “He is the reason for the season” up on their social website pages, would wish their Jewish friends a happy Hanukkah. It seems that sometimes we expect store owners to wish everybody a “Merry Christmas” when we would reserve for ourselves the right to use the phrase with discretion. When I am in a store where a number of women are buying groceries, wearing hijabs – I would never think of going up to one and forcing upon her “a merry Christmas.” That is probably part of the reason when I am in a store and a cashier says “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” I feel honored rather than offended. Unless the cashier actually knows me, he or she doesn’t know what faith I actually practice if any.

            In my mind I think we have it backwards when we expect others to say “Merry Christmas” to us as if that is to be expected from others. I am pretty sure that Jesus never was wished a “Merry Christmas” in his entire earthly life. That may seem trite, but it isn’t. On Christmas we Christians celebrate Christ’s incarnation. He became man that man might be reconciled to God. Christmas was a time when God became man despite knowing that it would mean that in the weakness of his assumed humanity he would be surrounded by the contradiction of sinners. He would be ridiculed, and he would go the distance in his calling to enter our weakness to the point of death in order to bring us to God. He would break boundaries by speaking to a Samaritan woman, healing a Syrian woman, embracing before healing an unclean leper, eating and drinking with sinners. If on Christmas Day we remember Christ as the Reason for the Season, we also remember the reason for the Incarnation is he came to be the bridge between heaven and earth and to reach out to a world where not one human being could claim privilege as a sinner before a holy God. He came not to be served with a proper greeting, but to reach out to those living in darkness.

            I try to be careful with how I celebrate Christmas. The first thing I want as a Christian towards others is to plant the impression that their humanity is important. I probably won't initially speak religious words, but when dealing with busy customers in an aisle, or with a cashier standing long hours dealing with customers in the check out line – I want to behave in a way that supports my belief that their humanity matters. I don’t think Jesus expects us as his followers to demand to be served. I do believe that he wants us to be his hands and feet to express his kindness and redemptive presence in the world. I had a moment today when I doubt I did a good job of that. I have a lot to learn, but because Jesus is the reason for the season, I won't demand blessings from others but I hope I grow in the grace of being and presenting a blessing unto others.