(Author Unknown)
Each December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations…extensive card writing, endless baking, decorating, and even overspending.
Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas. My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he’d been memorizing songs for his school’s “Winter Pageant.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there’d be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.
So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, the students were led into the room.
Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song.
Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as “Christmas,” I didn’t expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment…songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer. So, when my son’s class rose to sing, “Christmas Love,” I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.
Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row – center stage – held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song.
As the class would sing “C is for Christmas,” a child would hold up the letter C. Then, “H is for Happy,” and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, “Christmas Love.”
The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter “M” upside down – totally unaware her letter “M” appeared as a “W”. The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one’s mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding her “W”.
Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities.
For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear: “CHRISTWAS LOVE” And, I believe, He still is!!
God certainly does work in mysterious ways!!
“God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.“
– 1 John 4:16
This simple story of where a child’s innocent mistake turned into a profound reminder for all present there, reminds us of the deeper truths often hidden in plain sight. It’s easy to treat Christmas as “just another holiday”, or even worse – a chore that we have to go through whilst completely missing the point of Christ’s birth.
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:8-9
Christ Is Love
This simple story gives us an important reminder of our faith, that love is our guiding principle and the call of Christ for us to join in communion with Him. Christian love is not just a feeling but an active choice – a commitment to act in the best interest of others, mirroring the selflessness of Christ.
If you’re reading this during Christmas time, then the message “CHRISTWAS LOVE” is serves as a powerful call to action for you. It challenges us to make Christ’s love the center of our existence, influencing every aspect of our lives. By doing so, we not only honor the teachings of Christ but also contribute to a world that is more compassionate, understanding, and reflective of the divine love that Christ embodies.
This is the true Christmas spirit that we should celebrate. Not all the fancy gifts or flashing lights, not even the “spirit of giving” that shopping malls blast to us on repeat in hopes of boosting their festive sales. Christmas should always be a celebration of the love that we have in our hearts for one another.
