Maybe...

I really enjoy Google images and just for fun I thought I’d take a peek under the general heading of Christmas to see what pops up. 4 out of the first 100 images were actually Christian art and not Santa or trees. Four. That’s it. That means only 4% of what people first see about Christmas from this site, actually has anything to do with celebrating the birth of our Lord.

Though somewhat discouraged, I went to send an e-card. Hallmark also does e-cards and under the heading Christmas, there are 4 categories (listed in this order)

Classic – pretty pictures of wreaths and fires.
Humour – (actually it’s spelled without the “u” but I can’t do that…) cat’s in Santa hats, sumo Santa and snowmen
Cute – overly sentimental little bunnies circling giant trees and skating cartoon penguins
Religion is the lowest on the list.

Christ’s Mass, the whole notion of the Birth of our Lord… last on the list. But even these religious cards, there are only images of peace and serenity. No hint that this child will revolutionize the world. That he will upend the social norms and the cultures of the day in favour of love and compassion and a desire to serve our fellow human beings. I think we miss out on a lot when we don’t see the little manger in the shadow of the cross. If we only see the nice, quiet peaceful Jesus instead of the one who challenged religious authority and shook the foundations of the status quo, we’re missing out. We miss the Jesus who advocates for social justice, for the raising up of the valleys and the lowering of the mountains to establish a level playing field. If all we see is the Jesus of the Hallmark card, I can understand why the message he taught gets overlooked.

But then again, if we are able to see God in the face of a helpless child, that is an incredibly powerful message. If we can see God in the face of a helpless child, maybe we will be better able to see Christ in the face of someone in need of help. Maybe our instinct to look out for each other, and care for each other, like we would a helpless child, will kick in. Maybe we will be able to get past the trappings of the marketers this Christmas season and realize what is important. Family. Friends. Strangers. Maybe we will learn to not be afraid. Just maybe we will love more and stress out less. Maybe we will be able to live lives understanding the commandment to Love our neighbours as ourselves.

And just maybe we will be able to embrace the joy and wonder of the incarnation, of the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us and teach us what it means to love.

Just maybe…