Season of the Heart

Consider this: if you had been living at the time Jesus was born, would you have been aware of this event taking place in the town of Bethlehem? If you had gone to Bethlehem to be counted for the census, would you have noticed in the midst of the crowds anything unusual happening? It probably isn’t important, but it is vital to us today to know we are awakening to the birth in consciousness of the Christ spirit in us, the God presence within every man, woman, and child. That is what this event embodiment.

We bring so many outer trappings to the holidays; however, Christmas is a season to be celebrated within if it is to be enduring and meaningful. I hear people saying they dread the coming of Christmas and I’m sure many of you would agree with me that you just can’t comprehend why someone would feel that way. Perhaps that feeling comes from the added stress and anxiety. Maybe it’s the added preparations and trying to pack all that into already very full schedules. And one year, I heard someone say, "Thank God it’s over."

How do we enter into the true mood of Christmas? We have to divest ourselves of everything that tends to interfere with its true significance. Let’s pay attention to the feelings of love, peace, and cheer during this holiday season. People in general are more considerate, polite, and kind. Most people smile more readily; hurts and past offenses are forgotten.

Regarding our own special needs at Christmastime, we can adopt an attitude of gratitude and lift our hearts to God in praise and thanksgiving that we shall abound in the rich rewards of a true Christmas celebration. Our festivity can last the entire year. Not by using precisely the traditional elements of the season but by laying aside whatever may be disturbing us at the time and attuning ourselves to all that the Christ within represents.

Challenges will arise during the coming year. Shall we not meet them in the Christmas spirit? Optimism, love, and faith in the right outworking will prevail. Christmas is not just for a certain time of the year any more than love, peace, joy, and goodwill are for a certain time of the year. Let us consider the divine idea of life and celebrate the attribute of life within with the same jubilance as we celebrate the coming of the Christ life into our world and consciousness at Christmastime.

We can now bring that same spirit of goodwill and understanding to our relations all year long. Don’t allow those feelings to grow cold as a new year unfolds. When Yuletide is over and we are putting the decorations away, perhaps it may be helpful to leave one decoration out and placed where it can be seen. It will remind us of the deep significance of the season. A card, a tree ornament, a figurine, a candle - any special memento close to our hearts - may very well bring to our remembrance that Jesus' birth is once more here within us with its message of love, faith, and peace. Yes, we can celebrate the advent of the Christ spirit any time of the year. Christmas is for all seasons, for it is a season of the heart!