Now that Christmas is approaching, some want to hide it. Instead of the traditional “Merry Christmas” as a sign of celebration for millions, “Happy Holidays” is institutionalized. A friendly joker that works for everything: employer days, vacations, work days, those that everyone … everyone wants to have a party on their calendar. But Christmas exists; It has a name, a meaning and a meaning. We celebrate the birth, the coming of the Child God into the world, of Jesus of Nazareth, and it has been shared by all of Christianity for centuries.
Saying Christmas is not imposing a faith, it is recognizing oneself in a cultural, historical and social reality. The nativity scene, the Three Wise Men of the East, the star, the Christmas carols, are part of a collective imagination that goes far beyond personal convictions. Even those who do not believe recognize these images as their own, as part of a tradition that has woven our way of being in the world. A way of returning to childhood, to the arms of the mother, to the warmth of the family, of returning home to this land of eternal exiles.
It is still ironic that the word Christmas is avoided so as not to disturb who knows who – now that we all have such thin skin – but we have shamelessly adopted Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, an imported, globalized figure, transformed into an icon of consumption, which also has its roots in Christian tradition. Perhaps what is uncomfortable is not the religious background, but what reminds us of who Jesus was and what he came to say.
Jesus, the Child born to us, did not come to impose, but to propose a new language. He preached love of neighbor, social justice, the freedom of prisoners, the dignity of women and equality among all human beings. He addressed the poor, the excluded, the sick, the forgotten. Beyond faith, his figure, his message, is a first-rate ethical and human lesson. A message of solidarity, fraternity and commitment to others recognized by other religions. So deep, so sincere, that he gave his life for him.
In the world that leaves us, marked by avarice, greed, corruption, inequality, hatred, violence, we would need a lot of Jesus of Nazareth to change signs; perform the miracle. People, men and women, capable of putting the common good before personal interest, of making power uncomfortable when it is no longer just, of recognizing each other without fear in difference, of forgiving and loving for the simple fact of existing.
Perhaps this is why some people have so much difficulty pronouncing and writing the word Christmas. It’s not just another date or another party; It’s an uncomfortable reminder. Because if he had been born a thousand times, perhaps we would crucify him a thousand more times.
From the bottom of my heart, Merry Christmas to everyone.
About The Author
