Every Day is Christmas

Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” (Jn 3:3)

Our church choirs start up rehearsals again this week. It is a time of new beginnings, as we welcome new members and reconnect with members we may not have seen all summer. We have new music discovered at summer reading workshops. Everything is new – and even old friendships are being renewed.

As is typical at this time of the year, much of the music we’re learning is for Advent and Christmas. It’s always been kind of a joke with us that Christmas comes first to the choirs. As we were getting ready to begin rehearsing, one of my fellow sopranos told me that in the Philippines, the radio stations are already playing Christmas music and the stores already have their holiday displays up. Her disgust was pretty evident.

Merchandising aside, there is nothing wrong with getting into the Christmas spirit this early in the year, if we understand what that spirit really is. The disdain we may feel at the thought of Christmas being "promoted" long before Halloween andThanksgiving are over has less to do with timing, and more to do with the fact that we've allowed ourselves to get out of the Christmas spirit in the first place.

Jesus says in Jn. 3:5 that we must be born of water and the spirit. What exactly does this mean for us who are already baptized Christians? Does that Scripture no longer apply once we're baptized? Not at all. It is about allowing Christ to be born anew in us, about “giving birth” to Him in our lives every single day, not just on December 25. It is about welcoming Him and all He brings to us. We are reminded in Matthew 25:35-40 that whenever we perform an act of kindness and charity toward another person, we are really doing it for Christ Himself.

So what about those who have lost the Christmas spirit? The Lord says, I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you (Ez.36:26). That spirit is there, everyday, just for the asking, because the Lord is faithful to His promises.

Prayer Request: For those who have lost the spirit of Christmas.

Prayer: O Lord, our God, we thank you for sending Your Son to be our Savior. We know that You are with us always, even to the end of time. Be born in us anew this day and every day, so that we may daily be reborn in You. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.