The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1956-12-21

w.
Putting Christ back into Christmas certainly than
improving the quality of picture cards Cards part of the
effort to be sure but remote part rather approach
to be than item of accomplishment Really
put Christ into Christmas put the Christ Child into human
souls to true knowledge of Him into mems minds and love
of Him into their hearts
And how far from knowing loving many Of
family be and heard in the speeches and
writings especially prepared this To millions
of feowmen Christmas not much the birthday of Cod
is giftgving bright
decoration Chrstmasme has become Yuede; has become
merely the holiday season. people who have forgotten
they knew that the word holiday is only convenient
spelling for holy day.
How far people called Christian from Christianity
well examped the opening paragraph of the opening article
of new publication which pupos to present to us patterns
of living. christmas Joyous time full of ancient traditions
the peoples of many lands From the ancient Druds OF Britain
and the tribes of northern Europe to the medieval English and
early American coons there has been enduring bequest
of lovely legends and gay traditions which make
Christmas such merry and enchanting occasion"
In the whole article which is headed christmas and
Fancy there not single mention of the fact that Christmas
except in far it included in the word Christmas and this
fact the writer of the article evidently doe not notice For his
legends merry occasion Certainly it is not
Christmas in fact however much resemble the Christmas
of fancy And for that cheap fancy have fancy whatever
Imagine description July This
glorious Fourth day dear all hearts Earliest traditions
of nation coming down from the preRevolutionary
days. hot oratoy the Colonial Congress-
which make Fourth of July such wild and bumpuo
Readers of these words might be excused for wondering
what all the fuss is about They might well inquire just what
this festival of July Fourth is meant to celebrate.
The Christmas article goes on to talk about the decoration
of Christmas institution of old Teutons who sought
to please the spirits that dwell trees tells of those DEAR
DruidS their mistletoe explains
log and the holly which decked the halls accordance with
the carong requirement repeats the story Of St Nicholas
patron of children derives his Claus the
dubious dutch The article ends with the assertion that the cry
Merry Christmas the true gift of friendship from
manv and lands"
Akin this most unChrstian article on Christmas are
those rease and and ebuons which glow Christ
the feast of the family the feast of children the
Christmas the feast of all these things very secondary
Such things included in the glorious fact that all
kind nefaby honored and elevated by the Incarnation But
It the Incarnation Itself that sets the feast the Incarnation and
the Birth #
When Christmas Christian faith ceases
have meaning all To disregard what people call the
religious aspect" Christmas disregard Christmas For
this feast completely religious merely called
gious from certain viewpoint under certain aspect Nor
block out the material manifestations and employ.
ments which make Christmas such merry enchanting
casion Religious joy finds moral and suitable expression in
and feasng and rocking jubiaton But the jub
ant activities not the expression of the religious JOY they
not really the of anything they about
nothing And>tha precisely what they amount to for millions
at the present hour these unfortunate forced
justify the fuss by appeal to legend tradition jolly
customs
Now FUSS however legendary and jolly can
ever begin to be Christmas Christmas the Birthday of Christ
And Christ true God Man. Leave out omit the
Divinity of the Child that born to Savior and Christmas
ceases to exist but ravesty of truth mockery of
devotion to hold high festival in the blessed of Christ
that of Chrss Maswhen the explanation the celebration
amounts to the denial Of Christ
what Yuetide celebration would be complete. asks the
Christmas article have been discussing without the traditional
Christmas tee? Then the article goes say that the oua
old Teuons believed spirits the trees of the forest
and that the trimmed tree brought indoors
the treedweng spirits and make them understand that they
were welcome at the Winter Soce ceremonies
what we celebatngthe Winter Sostce Oh darling Duds
On ppy1op Ieutons Oh merry Msoe! Oh saubrious Sos
hce! Oh yummy Yule! oh, happy Holly But why call It
Christmas, the Mass of Christ?
And the angel said to them: Fear not for behold bring
you good hdngs of that shall be all people,
this day born to Savior who Christ the
suddenly there with the multitude the heavenly
host prasng God and "Glory God highest and
on earth peace to Of good will"