Mystic Christmas

[valaya]

Mystic Christmas

 

Christmas is upon us. In many countries around the world, an

almost frantic activity descends as the pressures of the

holidays mount. However, there is another way to view

Christmas, and that is through the eyes of the mystic.

 

Mysticism is concerned with non-attachment to the material world

and with oneness with God.

Mysticism looks past the illusion of the material and is focused

on the true nature of reality, which is God.

 

Christmas is about Christ. Lets take time to see Christmas from

a mystical perspective. On the one hand, Christmas seems very

focused on Santa Claus. Santa plays a very important role in

Christmas, because Santa is the Christmas symbol of illusion.

Santa seems very real to children around the world because its

considered part of the spirit of Christmas to perpetuate the

illusion of a jolly fat man, dressed in red, bringing gifts if

you have been good. Just as children grow up to learn that

Santa is not real, also we must learn to see past the illusion

of worldliness and focus on the truth of Christmas, which is

Christ.

 

Several months ago the popular American comedic actor Drew Carey

was interviewed on an equally popular television talk show, The

View. Mr. Carey surprised the audience when he addressed the

value of telling children the truth about Santa Claus.

 

"I don't think you should tell kids that there is a Santa

Claus," he said. "That's the first lie you tell your children."

Instead, "tell kids that Santa's a character we made up to

celebrate a time of the season." Otherwise "when kids get to be

5 ... they realize their parents have been lying to them their

whole life."

 

How did Santa Claus enter the picture? Why is this mythical

figure so closely aligned with the Christmas holiday? Many books

are available to shed light on the origins of this popular

character.

 

"Santa Claus" is an American corruption of the Dutch form "San

Nicolaas," a figure brought to America by the early Dutch

colonists (The Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, Vol. 19,

p. 649, "Nicholas, St."). This name, in turn, stems from St.

Nicholas, bishop of the city of Myra in southern Asia Minor, a

Catholic saint honored by the Greeks and the Latins on Dec. 6.

 

He was bishop of Myra in the time of the Roman emperor

Diocletian, was persecuted, tortured for the Catholic faith and

kept in prison until the more tolerant reign of Constantine

(ibid.). Various stories claim a link from Christmas to St.

Nicholas, all of them having to do with gift-giving on the eve

of St. Nicholas, subsequently transferred to Christmas Day

(ibid.).

 

How, we might ask, did a bishop from the sunny Mediterranean

coast of Turkey come to be associated with a red-suited man who

lives at the north pole and rides in a sleigh pulled by flying

reindeer?

 

The trappings associated with Santa Claus-his fur-trimmed

wardrobe, sleigh and reindeer-reveal his origin from the cold

climates of the far North. Some sources trace him to the ancient

Northern European gods Woden and Thor, from which the days of

the week Wednesday (Woden's day) and Thursday (Thor's day) get

their designations (Earl and Alice Count, pp. 56-64). Others

trace him even farther back in time to the Roman god Saturn and

the Greek god Silenus (William Walsh, The Story of Santa Klaus,

pp. 70-71).

 

If Santa symbolizes illusion and we are to learn to see past

illusion to the true nature of reality, then what is the true

nature of Christmas? Of course, it is Christ himself and his

message.

 

Christ said "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30)

 

Christians know this verse well, but some forget that later

Christ prayed the following:

 

John 17:

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,

but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent

them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might

be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall

believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I

in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may

believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that

they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in

one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and

hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

 

Please note verse 23, where Jesus prayed that "I in them, and

thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one." The message

here is oneness plain and simple. Oneness with Christ and

through him, oneness with God the Father.

 

Mysticism is also about non-attachment to this world. Christ

also taught this.

 

Luke 12:

22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do

not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your

body, what you will wear.

23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no

storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more

valuable you are than birds!

25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life [2]

?

26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry

about the rest?

27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet

I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed

like one of these.

28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is

here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more

will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do

not worry about it.

30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your

Father knows that you need them.

31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you

as well.

32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been

pleased to give you the kingdom.

 

Jesus taught us not to get involved in materialism for our focus

is not on this current world, but our relationship with God, for

we are the children of God.

 

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit

that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then

heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we

suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

 

How much more wonderful is it to allow Christmas to be a time of

fellowship and peace with our family as we realize we are all

children of God. Our destiny is so awesome because we will

someday share the divinity of Christ, for we are heirs of God

and joint heirs with Christ.

 

"Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" (John

10:34) Thus Jesus answered the Jews, when they accused him of

blasphemy for telling them, "I and my Father are one."

 

As Jesus put it, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall

see God" (Matthew 5:8).

 

The mystical message of Chrismas then, is not to focus on the

illusions Christmas offers, but to focus on what is important,

which is your relationship with Christ and his message of

seeking the Kingdom and of striving to be one with God and your

fellow man. Christmas is truly about peace on earth and good

will towards men. Focus on the love of Christ and let that be

your greatest gift to others as you celebrate this time of gift

giving.

 

2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine

out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light

of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus

Christ!

 

Have a Mystic Christmas!

 

The Reluctant Messenger

-------

The world's religions and science are pieces to a puzzle

that need one another to achieve a complete picture.

http://www.reluctant-messenger.com/main.htm

 

P.S. Feel free to share this with others as a gift of Christmas.

 

 

[gHari]

31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Click the first link on the site below for your Father's help.

 

------------------

Gary Stevason

Seeking the Kingdom of God<font color="#f7f7f7">

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 12-25-2001).]