The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-11-30
Just Among Ourselves


Just there are two Jerusaems ION the testi.
mony OF Scrpture) so there are two ChristmasSes.
And as one of the cities is temporal and doomed to
destruction while the other is he spiritual and
enduring home OF the faithful so the two feasts-
the two Chrstmasses-are contrasted as material
and spiritual, having almost nothing in common.
The true Feast of Christmas is the happy cele-
bration of the Redemption that came into lost
world of men when God became Man and dwelt
among II is spiritual, for its meaning and prom
lse is given to the soul, not to the body 1t is cele
bration that stir sinners to repentance and
awaken in the faithful soul new virtue holier as
pirations The and center of tFe celebration of
this Christmas is living faith in the truth that Jesus
Christ is actually God HIMSELF the Second Person
of the Undivided Trinity, who has become true Man
also, and is born OF human mother, SO that He
may be our Brother as we'll our Creator, and may
endure death in His human nature TO atone for the
sin OF His fellowmen.
To prepare us suitably for this great spiritual
feast, the Church founded earth by Christ (true
God as we'll as true NAM sets up annual season
called Advent THE Coming" During this time,
in all her ritual readings and functions the Church
recalls TO her children the fall of man. the merciful
promise OF a Redeemer, and the deep longing of
faithful souls for the fulflment of the promise.
And we of modern times are meant to be stirred
by this recollection to deep desire to have Christ
living by faith and grace in our hearts. Thus we
arouse resolution TO amend mistaken lives, to cast
off the ways of sin to walk worthy of the Voca-
tion wherein we are called Advent is therefore
time of great value to the Christian If he
it well, he will be ready Christmas Day to exper
ience the peace and JOY of a clean conscience and
heart filled with love Of God and neighbor.
The other Christmas = the Christmas of this
world-akeS name and occasion from the true
Christmas but has actually nothing in common
with IT, 1t is winter of gaety and gift
giving, not in any spirit OF Christian faith, but in
worldly display and sef-ndulgence. Naturally,
those who make good thing commercially out
Of this occasion have been prompt to do So BY this
time The forces of commerciasm have practically
taken the celebration of Christmas and direct
its every event and observance.
The true Christmas is full of spiritual Joy which
is rightly reflected in outer celebration. Carols and
greetings and gifts and leasting are all in line with
the Great Event which the day commentaries, so
long all these things kept strictly subservient
10 the real meaning of the festival But the worldly
Christmas takes up carol and glee as things import
ant in themselves 1t makes outward show and
froc mere seasonal observance, despite the sur
face reference occasionally accorded to childhood
and motherhood and the sacredness of the home
For the worldly Christmas has no knowledge
of Christ and no faith in His divinity It's most
ardent promoters (those who seek to make great
deal of money out of the oecasion) have no belief
in# the Godhead of Christ or the uniquenesS and
necessity of His Church. Christmas to them is a
rich commercial opportunity and they develop
II with enthusiasm. Thus they have managed TO
change the general attitude of mankind towards
Christmas their newer and worldly Christmas works
for the destruction of the true Feast.
The worldly Christmas has its advent too, II has
its season of preparatlon-for tremendous sales.
Nor is this season of high.pressure salesmanship
limited to the four weeks preceding December %.
October has scarcely gone before the children are
summond out of Sunday to meet Santa Claus
newly arrived from the North Pole and swelter-
ing in most unreasonable fes and whiskerS Boys
and girls are instructed continuously thereafter
that Christmas is the day on which they viii get
things" They are urged TO come to visit Santa Claus
Gin one OF his innumerable reincarnations) in the
local stores There they will see and hear things
which will turn them into advocates for sales the
whole infant and child population is formed into a
pressure group 10 make parents purchase lot of
things they cannot afford and by no means require.
The Joy of gifts and toys and tinseed trees is
thin and short-liyed. The gaety of the worldly
Christmas lasts hardly longer than the time takes
for gadgets to break down and gifts TO be ex-
changed But the Joy and peace of the true Christ
mas have an enduring quality; they do not break
down; they last as long as earnest good will re.
mains in Christian hearts. The Christmas gift of the
true Christmas is worth the longing of Advent; it
is worth what is paid for it; which is great deal
more than can be said for the articles sold across
Christmas counters in the mad rush of this worlds
Christmas.
To the Catholic, Christmas means, before all else
time of apprecating the faith an occasion for q
particularly fervent confession and Communion;
day for an especially devout hearing of Holy Mass
And surely here are Christmas gifts and experiences
beyond all price, and wholly apart from the arena
OF competitive salesmanship.
KoW as Advent comes. Let us keep Christ II
Christmas through every day right up to the feas
itself, and thereafter through life let hold Hin
dearly and securely in our hearts.