It is hard to imagine that for the early Christians of the first two or three centuries, the birth of Jesus was not celebrated nor held as a day worthy of worship. And even when it was deemed a special day, not much changed in the daily lives of believers, December 25th was just another day. People still worked on that day, and kids were in school. I joke with folks about calling an important conference for Christmas Day like was done early in our history as Methodists in this country. Christmas Day was just another day, and to hold a conference was an important event and no one felt violated or cheated. Today it is a different story. No one wants to work today which is Christmas Eve, except most pastors. And no one wants to work tomorrow on Christmas Day. Especially pastors. Most businesses will close early today, and for many it is still a shopping day. Those who work today will hurriedly do what they need to do and then hurry home. Some will go to a special worship service and our churches will be filled like a Sunday morning. Most churches will be closed tomorrow. The thinking is that the day is for family, food, parades on television, football games, friends. (Sounds a lot like this last holiday we just had about a month ago, no?) Christmas has become a day set aside for us. Our "gospel story" might read: And there were shoppers keeping watch on their sales, where one could go at the last minute to get that last gift, when a commercial came on and say this is the place to get that last precious gift, and the shoppers were sore afraid that someone else might beat them to that last doll or last game that they needed to put under the tree. And the voice on the radio said, "Do not be afraid, for see ---We're open late and we're fully stocked!" And suddenly there were with the announcers great offers and prices, and the shoppers said, "Glory to us, for we have been given a great deal!" And off they went to make the deal, and to rush to the grocery store to finalize their dinner's list and that last needed pie.
And Jesus wept.
