THE END OF THE WORLD

                  If you are reading this on Friday or Saturday, it means that the earth survived. Much has been written in the news lately about the Mayan calendar. The ancient Mayans of Central America were extremely accurate astronomers able to predict eclipses centuries in advance. They also had an extremely accurate calendar which dated from their claim of the beginning of the world on August 11, 3114 BC. What caused the buzz is the fact that the Mayan calendar ends with the Winter solstice in 2012, December 21. Many contemporaries around the globe embraced the idea of the end of the world on that day. Many others rejected the idea outright.

            Predictions of the end of the world have been a constant. Every century has had multiple predictions of the end of the world. It seems like we have one every year. Many have achieved great notoriety, like the 1970 book by Hal Lindsey, The late Great Planet Earth. Lindsey later pegged the Rapture in the year 1988. Guess what? All the hundreds of predictions have been wrong. I told the people in church Sunday if the end is here I'll see them in heaven. Otherwise I will see you here next Sunday.

            Jesus teaching on the end of the world states “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”(Matthew 24:36) If no one, not even the angels and, assumingly, the human Jesus, knew the time of the end, the ancient Mayans certainly did not. But the speculation causes us to stop and think. Like the old hymn questions, “Jesus is coming to earth again, What if it were today?” Jesus also tells us that the last day will come upon us suddenly and without warning. “As in the days of Noah”, He says. We will be going about life as usual and things will come to a sudden stop and we will be with Jesus for reward or punishment. To some, that may sound fearful. But we need not fear the end. The key is to be ready, to be able to say with the apostle John, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

Grace and peace. 

I LOVE SANTA

            One segment in the current edition of Christianity Today asks the question “Should churches discourage belief in Santa Claus?” This has been a debate among Christians through the years. Some say parents shouldn’t “dupe” their children into believing that Santa exists, in essence lie to their children. Others maintain there is room for Santa in our Christmas celebration. He, it is claimed, represents the spirit of generosity and giving. Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra (in modern day Turkey) about 300 A.D. was known for giving secret gifts to all. As his legend was passed down through generations and cultures his name came to us as “Santa Claus.” Most current beliefs about Santa derive from the poem by Clement C. Moore, “A Visit From St Nicholas.” For two centuries this poem has shaped the concept of Santa here and around to world.

            As far as being “duped” by Christian Parents, mine went along with society’s make believe. Having a belief in Santa didn’t prevent me from embracing Christ and as a child I felt no conflict. Neither did I feel like my parents did me wrong by playing along with the stories of St. Nick, or the Easter Bunny for that matter.

            To me, getting rid of Santa Claus, as some zealous Christians wish to do, would be a tragedy. It would be nice if children could get as excited about the baby Jesus as they do about presents under the Christmas tree. But young children will never do that. Santa (or the pretense of a real Santa) has brought incalculable joy to children of every generation and, as a parent and grandparent, I know the joy of watching small children on Christmas morning. So much joy would be lost if there were no Santa deception.

            Parents should fess up to an older child who sincerely asks if Santa is real, but I, for one, am not in favor of bumping off Santa.  

Grace and peace. 

 

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

            In a recently published book, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church has challenged some of the traditions of Christmas. One thing he states is the birth date of Christ isn’t December 25st. This has long been affirmed by bible scholars who generally accept his birth in April of 5 B.C. Another claim he makes is that there was no donkey or other animals at the manger.  This is an argument from silence. The biblical account does not mention any animals present. It mentions the manger but not a stable. But since mangers were in stables or caves and animals were kept in those stables and caves, it is safe to assume animals were present at Jesus’ birth. One thing he does not mention as far as I know (I haven’t read his book which has just been published) is that the wise men were not at the manger but a “house” and we have no idea how many there were. The “star” of Bethlehem would have been over the same house, not the manger.

            The Pope does deal with the angels. They were not at the manger. Reading in Luke’s birth narrative the angels were in the field with the shepherds and then went away into heaven. And the angels didn’t sing, they spoke.

             All my life I had assumed they sang. That’s what I was taught. And every Christmas season we sing “Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains.” The question has been raised, “Do angels sing.” Some passages have them doing so, such as Revelation 5:11-12 “I looked and I heard the voice of many angels…singing with a loud voice.” But the word used for singing can also be translated as “saying.” But singing has been a part of worship in ancient and modern times. (It was banned in some early Protestant churches.) Surely the angels sing. I imagine them singing to the shepherds as Handel has them doing in his Messiah, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill, toward men!”

            Our manger scene at home will continue to have wise men, animals and angels. And let us continue to sing our carols with gusto, for I am sure God receives and approves our praise. 

Grace and peace.