Happy Birthday, Jesus

     For the first time in many years, I  sent Christmas cards.  My plan was to send cards  to the people who are on our church’s “needs pastoral care” list.  However, when I  was looking at the boxed cards, this message spoke to me:

During this Christmas Season—May you be blessed -

With the spirit of the season—which is peace

The gladness of the season—which is hope

And the heart of the season—which is love

     And except for JOY those words were the basis for my Advent musings this year.  So I purchased a couple of boxes and as I began to address them I thought of these words  - Christmas makes you feel emotional; It may bring parties or thoughts devotional, Whatever happens or what may be, Here is what Christmas time means to me.    
     Silver Bells goes on to list all the fun activities of Christmas, but what I think is that Christmas means peace, hope and love.  The peace that passes understanding, the hope of the world, God’s love for the world—

     As I continued to address the cards, the list grew and I made my way back to the store only to find that the cards I really liked were gone.  I hurriedly chose another box with a pretty church on the front.  I didn’t take time to read what the printed words inside the card said.  I was appalled.  Happy Holidays??? And then I remembered that the etymology of the word holiday is Holy Day.  And what more Holy Day than the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
     Sometimes that birth is celebrated in song - which may be my favorite part of the Christmas season.

     This year I have heard musical offerings at four different churches and I especially enjoyed the orchestral presentation before our traditional Christmas Eve service at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.
     All of it has been lovely, but my favorite was when a little girl, dressed as an angel, stepped to a microphone and began to sing "Happy Birthday, Jesus, I'm so glad it's Christmas, All the tinsel and lights and the presents are nice but the real gift is You" (origination unknown).
     Most of the time, that little girl is bubbly, joyful  and effervescent.  In fact that is my nickname for my fifth grandchild. But this time she was most serious and intentional.
     At the end of the program I made my way to give her a hug and asked "Where did you get that pretty voice?"

     She put her hand on her chest and said "from my heart".

     Which in my mind let me know that that she knows what this holiday - a holy day - is really  about. 
     We have made our way through Advent - recognized hope, prayed for peace, experienced joy and shared love. 
     And now the center candle in the Advent wreath has been lit. That candle represents what this is really all about.  Because no matter the greeting - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - or even - oh help "Merry Xmas", the reason we have this Holy Day at all - is because that's when we recognize His birth.
      Happy Birthday, Jesus.