Peace on Earth

Let me get straight to the point: Merry Christmas!! to my Christian friends. And to the rest of you, I wish you the very happiest of holidays. It is the season in which most of us celebrate our most important spiritual days, a time to reflect on the divine nature of the universe, and to remind ourselves of our most important teachings. It is a time to renew our spirits by bringing ourselves closer to God. For Christians, it is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, son of God and master teacher. It is indeed a very holy day. As today is Christmas, I’d like to speak mainly to my fellow Christians. I hope the rest of you will bear with me. (smile)

Holidays. Holy Days.

Today is one of the two holiest days in the Christian calendar. It is a time to celebrate with all our hearts. To that end, I hope that each of you has a joyous day, filled with family and friends. I hope the feast is perfect, and that you got everything you wanted under the tree.

But even more, I hope that each of you gave more than you received, and not just to family and close friends. I hope that you donated to one of the many charitable causes that make Christmas a special day for many in need. I hope you gave to toy to Toys for Tots. I hope you donated food to a local food bank. I hope that you dropped some change into a bucket as you entered the mall.

Jesus taught us all to find our fulfillment in the service of others. He inspired us to be compassionate and loving to all, and to tend to the needs of the least among us. The son of God was the ultimate servant, sacrificing his own life so that we could better understand God, the universe, and our place in it. He taught us that to serve those in need was to bring ourselves closer to our Creator. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40 NIV)

Enjoy your presents. Enjoy your family. But please also take time to remember the reason for the season. Remember that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord, and that we have pledged to follow his example, living a Life with Spirit.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 KJV)

May God bless you in the coming year!

Lane