Happy Holidays / What is Love?
abracad, · Categories: christmas, spiritualityOnce again the Holiday season is upon us. How are you feeling?
Filled with wonder of the Season? Stressed by last-minute preparations and overcrowded malls? Or simply disgusted at the over-commercialisation and the pressures on folk to overspend and incur debt just so big business can earn a quick buck (remember Jesus driving the money-lenders from the temple)?
What bugs me is the political correctness bullsh*t seeking to expunge Christian symbolism from Christmas for fear of offending other faiths. How can anyone, Christian or otherwise, possibly be offended by celebrating the birth and life of a man who taught a message of love and peace?
And isn't love what this season is all about?
Love is an oft-used term, eg I love this movie, or football team, or ice cream. It's also the most common theme in literature, music and art, though none adequately express the feelings it inspires.
So what does love really mean? It can reduce a grown man to jelly, but defies definition in mere words. Following the lesson of Jesus, "love your neighbour as yourself", we can say love means to treat the object of your love as, or better than, yourself.
If you've ever been privileged to have kids you'll understand this. You feel what they feel. You would sacrifice anything for their well-being. You would gladly assume their suffering. It is the recognition and acknowledgement of the oneness of two individuals.
It's easy to love our nearest and dearest (though at this season we may feel we love some more at a distance), less easy to love strangers, and hardest of all to love our enemies. But that is what Jesus taught: "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" [Matthew 5:44].
Now that's a tall order for most of us mere mortals, but maybe - just for teh festive season - we can begin by simply accepting others and them be. Regardless of their race, religious belief, past history, whatever... That means acknowledging the place of everyone as unique individuals with a unique role to play in the tapestry of life.
Enjoy the season, don't stress, do what you can as best you can. And when the day comes,
Happy Holidays
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Filed in: christmas, spirituality
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