The Cross and Pen

All I want for Christmas. It’s a phrase that is heard frequently during the Christmas season, and is a seemingly innocuous and humble statement. In fact, it even appears to be a somewhat limiting phrase. Let’s break it down.             The first word is all. It conveys a sense of humility in that it limits what is desired. That is, it implies a minimal gift, or something minor, in comparison to what is typical or customary. At the same time, it implies a sense of deserving something. In other words, it’s as if one is saying, “I deserve something, but I will demonstrate restraint and humility.” So, out of all the things one should be rewarded with during the Christmas season, humility is feigned, and a degree of restraint shown, or so it would seem.             Next we come to I. Ah, the ubiquitous pronoun. We’re consumed with ourselves today – I, I, I,...

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing colors, mornings are crisp and cool, and football sweatshirts and jerseys are being donned. The holidays are only a few months away. For some, the holiday season begins amid costumes, tricks, and treats. For others, the official start is a bit more auspicious and revolves around a traditional Thanksgiving feast and holiday shopping. The culmination of the season, of course, occurs in late December with the arrival of Santa and the ushering in of a New Year. People will eat, drink, and be merry as they gather in celebration. The religious, semi-religious, and even hesitantly religious will flock to churches where extra services and seating will be added to accommodate the holiday crowds. Whether a candlelight vigil or early morning service, churches across the country will experience a short-lived surge in attendance. It strikes me as odd that only at this time of year, with Easter perhaps being the other exception, that so many p...

I borrowed the title for this blog post from a book by the late Dr. James M. Boice, senior pastor at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. In his book, he discusses the Christmas story from Christ’s perspective. Noting how most of us are familiar with Luke and Mark’s account, Dr. Boice approached the subject from a different angle. With Christmas just a few weeks away, I thought I would take an opportunity to explore the Christ of Christmas and pay homage to Dr. Boice.             When we think of Christmas, images of a baby lying in a manger come to mind. Surrounded by wise men, the Christ-child entered the world in ordinary fashion. However, he was no ordinary baby; he was unique. Biblical history is replete with accounts of miracles, displays of God’s power, and events that transcend understanding. The birth of Christ, though, is perhaps the most unique event in all of human history. Momentarily pushing aside the implicati...