Hajja Salesjana November December 2016

23 What Christmas Is All About Fifty years ago A Charlie Brown Christmas was first broadcast on American television. Some network executives thought it would be ignored, while others worried that quoting the Bible would offend viewers. Some wanted its creator, Charles Schulz, to omit the C h r i s t m a s story, but Schulz insisted it stay in. The program was an immediate success and has been rebroadcast every year since 1965. When Charlie Brown, the frustrated director of the children’s Christmas play, is discouraged by the commercial spirit of the holiday season, he asks if anyone can tell him the real meaning of Christmas. Linus recites Luke 2:8-14 including the words, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: You shall find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will towards mankind”. Then Linus says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” During this season, it’s good to ponder afresh God’s great love expressed in the familiar story of Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus and the angels who announced our Savior’s birth. In the midst of our busy lives, let us pause for a while so as not to forget that this is what Christmas is all about. It is a time when we reminisce again with gratitude the amazing and immense Gift God the Father, through His Son’s humble obedience, by the power of the Holy Spirit and through Our Blessed Mother’s yes, has freely given to you and me. Christmas is when the Eternal One, entered time, when God lovingly broke into human history to offer us the gift of salvation!