The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-12-07
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or lneonsidersts

Just Among Ourselves
| Passing Comment Considered or lneonsidersts
The Santa Claus Parade" marched up High
Street in Columbus last week November % was the
date; early enough surely for the leisurely parading
Of who is supposedly very busy these DAYS in his
polar factory and all the department stores The
parade, however, rather matter of High School
queens-whose name is legion-than of variegated
Santas And there were floats and bands and rubber
grotesqueries in abundance.
In the whole line of march-and the parade took
fifty minutes to pass a given TV camera-there
one, and only one, display which recalled the
meaning of Christmas. To the lasting credit of the
local CYo it is to be reported that their float carried
representation of the Nativity Group and bore the
legend, Put Christ Back into Christmas" The TV
commentator took occasion to commend the CYO
and spoke of the timely fitness of their motto.
You have only to look at the ads and to listen
to radio to realize how very far. at the present mo-
ment the world has removed Our Lord from the
outer celebration of His birthday. Christmas as
modern word has more suggestion of Christ than
Santa Claus has Of the great and charitable Saint
Nicholas. Christmas is winter festival it is time
for walking in winter wonderland; it is an occa.
sion for longing for land dreaming of generous
fall of snow; it is of sending cards and ex-
changing gifts That il happens 10 be the commem-
oration of Christs birth is 81 minor an incident
al fact that nobody thinks to mention it, or thinks
of it al all
A woman shopper in one of the big stores recent
ly noticed attractlvey draped corner furnished
with a variety of things including sizable pile
Of hay, There placard shown with the legend,
He is coming Soon" She thought that surely this
the forerunner of true Christmas display;
that the hay would be used in the manger and about
the stable Of Our Lords birth But upon inquiry she
found that HE is coming soonl" had no reference
at all to Christ No it all pointed to the imminent
arrival of-Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer!
So revoted was the lady by the silly paganism
Of the display that she began at once an intensive
campaign of her own to put Christ back into Christ
mas" Among her relatives friends and acquant-
ances she spread the urgent word. Doubtless what
she achieves will not be much as this world meas
ures the dongs OF men But at least there will
be essening OF traffic in unsuitable cards and
commodities. And the ladys good work may spread
her word and example may, in few years send a
tidal wave to drown the worldly symbols of Infinite
and Unworldly Love,
The thought OF Christmas that is, the true
thought of Christmas, involves the whole spiritual
history of mankind II brings to mind the fact that
man was made for God and heaven; that he sinned,
forfeiting his glorious destiny; that God in mercy
became Man TO suffer and die, and to open heaven
once more and restore TO his lost opportunity;
that Christmas Day commentaries the birth OF
Godmade Man, the Redeemer, who was TO die, TO
rise again, TO found upon earth His necessary in
sttution for the communicating te men the grace
10 enable them TO take advantage of the recovered
opportunity. All this is implied in the very thought
and notion OF Christmas And therefore that thought
should be tho immediate and powerful inspiration
nj IoNe nf od moi of fnr nf
resolution for life of virtue.
The thought and inspiration of Christmas does
not by any means exclude outer jubilstion or feast.
inc or exchange Of gifts On the contrary since hope
and Joy arc in the thought il is right and reasonable
that men should manifest, in every suitable way,
these delightful spirits. II is Of the unsuitable
things that we now complain, What suggestion of
Christmas is TO be found in mere SeighS, or rein.
deer or Scotty dogs or garlanded doorways or flam
ing candles poinsettiaS? This is as though we
were TO celebrate the coming of great and noble
relative, the object OF our love, by sending about
pictures of his household pets or snapshots of the
taxicab which took him to the railway 'tation. Why
not send pictures OF the man himself? Who could
understand, from picture OF reindeer however
rednosed that we mean to honor the Creator of all
reindeer, and of ourselves, who is Our Divine Re.
deemer?
True all the creatures OF God should suggest
the goodness of God But when God became Man
The visible manifestations of His coming were
many and these should be our choice of creatures
for recalling the Event Pictures and displays which
have no manifest reference to the Incarnation are
out OF place in this glorious time Rudolph may be
very cute: Bambi may entrance the stagecoach ar
irving damned to the ful) at the old inn door may
be delightful. Seotty dogs may please us hugely
candles and poinsettias may put us in a genia
glow But these things taken by themselves have
no real connection with Christmas. Christmas means
Christ And without Christ, Christmas is dull ant
empty time indeed
Put Christ Back into Christmas" The real jo.
and peace of this holy time will be lost to the worlt
II the world has its way. The outer rejoicing (witl
its parades and its endless Santas and its homecon1
ng queens and its rubber seaserpents and all tn
rest will soon cease for lack of meaning We ar
to restore all things in Christ Let Christina