The Spirit of Christmas

One of the most important dates in our calendar is ‘Christmas,’ when people from all around the world celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a surprising freshness about Christmas, it comes round once every year and yet it always brings with it a quality of magic.

Even though we may groan at the preparations that must be made, a feeling of excitement still runs through us all. Christmas is the one time of the year when an element of change comes into everyone’s life. We are forced to stop our hum-drum daily routine and take a few days break from our work and live in an entirely different manner to the rest of the year.

Christmas is universally respected. Everything stops for Christmas, even wars. I believe there was a touching moment in the First Great War when the two great opposing armies came out of their trenches, to wish each other a happy Christmas. Let’s hope that respect for, and observation of Christmas will always continue.

But what a pity that the spirit of Christmas is observed for such a short while. When Christmas Day was over the Great War continued and the two armies were both enemies again. And so it would seem to be with the average man and woman in the world. A spirit of generosity, a giving of gifts and good will to all, prevails for a short while and then we all go back to our daily lives and it all fades into the background.

So each year as we prepare for the happy event of Christmas, let us resolve to prepare in a positive and cheerful manner the other daily events in our lives. Let us also try not to lose sight of the beautiful message and spirit of Christmas, but keep it with us throughout the coming years, tuning in each day and every day to its goodness and beauty.
 

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of The World Healing Crusade to wish you all...