What is a Holiday?

 Are you aware of the etymology (history) of the word "holiday"? It comes from the influence of the Historic Church on Western culture. It is derived from the word "holy" and more specifically, church "holy days". What started out as feasts for more specific and focused times of worship has morphed into family time and merriment outside of any focused or disciplined communal worship. The irony now is that when merchants avoid "Merry Christmas" so as to cater to the sprawling pluralism that now demands our submission, they are actually saying "Happy Holy Days".

In the end, these "holy days" can be redeemed, and we can return to the sacrifice and priority of Jesus being born for all creation (which includes enjoying and celebrating the meaning of these events with family and others), but like any other spiritual discipline or valuable thing in our lives, it won't happen without saying "no" to good things so we can prioritize what is best. However, our church's life and culture won't be impacted unless we, the worshippers, choose to act on what we say truly matters to us.

What we do physically and where we put our money, time, and energy during the "Holy Days" communicates to everyone we touch. We may not think so, but it is true nonetheless. Do no harm, but I ask you to be purposeful as you undermine the hedonistic self-preoccupation of a world that rejects the freedom of submission to Christ and his ways. Worship communally on Christmas, Holy Week, and Easter even if you are out of town. Plan ahead with family so your worship can communicate before God and people what matters most about Christmas to you.

Whether people in our church family are out of town or otherwise occupied on Christmas Eve, it will probably be one of our largest attended services of the year. I am not trying to drum up numbers. I am trying to encourage a thoughtful discipleship in action so we can better be light and salt to a dark and decaying world. I am also hoping to encourage our more seasoned and mature believers that their presence also matters and communicates to those newly committed to Christ (or who are new to our church) what it looks like to be🎄Christmas people🎄.

 

Blessings, in the name of the coming and returning Christ.

 

Fr. Tom