What the Christmas celebration is about

I love the Advent and Christmas seasons. I especially love the music. The hymn books of every Christian church, organization or group are filled with hymns, spirituals and songs about the arrival of a messiah, who would bring peace to all human beings and joy to our chaotic world. The music tells and embellishes one of the most unlikely stories that could be imagined by human beings.

The story describes a young virgin woman from an out-of-the-way village giving birth to a child in a barn 70 miles from home. Shepherds from distant fields rush to pay homage to this special child in response to a sky full of singing angels. Astronomers from hundreds of miles away follow a star that moves slowly across the sky and settles over the humble birthplace of the world’s messiah.

The world has never heard greater music than the music that has been inspired by the Jesus birth narrative, and the lyricists have added poetic words that send the imagination soaring. They even add barnyard animals to the gala celebration. The heavens and the earth, angels and human beings, and all living things were involved in this once-in-history episode. Our involvement is invited as well. I love to sing those songs. Singing the Christ message leaves the Christmas message etched indelibly on heart and mind.

I have always insisted that when reading Bible material the reader should read not just with an open heart, but also with an open and critical mind. The same is true when singing the Christmas hymnal. The open heart fully enjoys singing about the story and its message. The critical mind reminds us that we are singing about one of the greatest myths ever told.

Before the reader gets too disturbed, allow me to share a basic definition taught in most any literature class in high school or college. Calling a story a myth does not mean that the message of the story is untrue. A myth is a useful literary device. A myth is any story or report in which the principle actor is God or a God. With that definition, the story of the birth of Jesus fully qualifies to be called a myth. Another basic principle or rule that is taught in most any literature class is that a myth can never meet standards of historicity. A myth is a story about God or the Gods and only incidentally about human beings. History is about human beings.

Investigations by historians do not allow for virgin births, moving stars that settle at a particular address, or for a sky full of angels singing beautiful music. People are free to believe whatever they want to believe about how Jesus came into the world, but it cannot be passed along as history. The needed information by historical investigation is not available.

What then are the stories of the birth of Jesus all about? What is the message carried by the Christmas myth?

Allow me to share my own best understanding.

The three great Abrahamic religions are united in some basic beliefs. Christians, Muslims and Jews are of one mind about some things. We all believe there is one and only one God. No matter the name given to God, God is one and only one. Our God is a creating God and all things have been created by God. God came to Abraham and made a covenant with him. Later, God came to Moses and gave him laws by which the people of God were to live. God came to Isaiah, Jeremiah and other prophets, and they spoke to God’s people about the will of God. A pattern was set. God was an initiator. There was a sharp distinction between God and the people to whom he paid a visit. The God of Abraham was not an “always present” God, but a God who paid visits to selected people to whom were given messenger responsibilities. God was not simply a visitor; God was an intruder.

The Bible stories of the birth of Jesus end the unity of opinion among Christians, Jews and Muslins. In typical Christian theology, God made a special intrusion into the world and spoke with finality through a son born to a virgin in Bethlehem. This visit was not simply with words, but in flesh and blood. The word became flesh and dwelt among us. In this belief Christians insist that they carefully maintain the distinction between God and God’s creation. Jews disagree. Muslims disagree. Even among ourselves, Christians disagree about the details of God’s visit to the world in Jesus from Nazareth. Jews, Muslins and Christians live with our differing opinions. However, we all live with the great conviction that we serve one God and that that God is intrusive into the lives of people.

The Christmas story is the Christian’s own special account of the intrusion of a loving God who wants us all to be whole and complete. Whether human or divine or some sort of joining of the two, we believe Jesus brings us a message of love, joy and peace for the whole world. Jesus, his Father God and their message of love are all intruders in life. They go where they are not invited. Not just the love of God is intrusive, so also is God’s hope, patience, kindness, grace, mercy and restorative justice.

As I sing those songs during the Advent and Christmas seasons, I will do so in praise of the God who intrudes into my life and makes me a better human being. And that is what Christmas is all about.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

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