Carol Howard Merritt is a blogger (carymilkweed.blogspot.com);[1] for those of you whose
computer knowledge is limited to knowing how to spell computer, a blog is a
discussion or informational site published on the World Wide Web. The Christian Century Magazine republished Mrs. Merritt's blog in
the December 18, 2013 issue titled, Why
I love to say "Happy Holidays".
She began the article with
a theological discussion about the tradition of waiting to sing the Christmas
Carols, while the congregation stretches out the four Advent hymns they know as
they wait for Christmas. She said, she is sad that the church does not go out Christmas
caroling to their homebound friends anymore. Therefore, we sing the carols less
during the holiday season.
The question of following
the Christian Calendar, which calls us to experience the wait for the Christ
Child or to succumb to the desire to sing the hymns, is an annual question in
many churches. I personally look forward
to the Advent season and the anticipation of waiting for Christmas Eve when we
traditionally light the Christ Candle to announce Jesus' birth, but I also
hunger for the hymns I grew up with. In the Assembly of God Church we did not
follow the Christian Calendar so we never experienced waiting for the birth of
Christ. Throughout December we sang about the shepherds in the field, wisemen
following the star, and the angels singing on high about the new born King.
I am not one of those progressive
liturgical individuals Mrs.
Merritt wrote about who gets upset because people want to sing about the birth
of Christ before the birth of Christ. But I do want to honor
our traditions. Yet, I also understand
the desire to sing the hymns because the season is so secularized we need the
hymns to help us embrace the spirit of Christmas.
Maybe Mrs. Merritt is
correct, that our conservative friends do host an annual “War on Christmas.” She
says, "The soldiers in this war include people who punch Salvation Army volunteers because they say 'Happy Holidays'
instead of “Merry Christmas”, then stand tall believing baby Jesus would want
them to lead this war.
Well they may be
surprised to hear that "the word 'holiday' comes from 'holy day.' But it’s
more than that. It hearkens[2] a hope of Sabbath. There
is also a sense of wholeness and healing in the word." So this Christmas
season when someone says, Happy Holidays, smile and wish that person blessings as
well as the hope of Sabbath.
May God bless you as you
anticipate the birth of Christ and while you are waiting, sing a few carols and
have a very happy holiday.
[1] Carol
Howard Merritt, http://www.christiancentury.org/blogs/archive/2013-12/why-i-love-say-happy-holidays
[2] Hearken, to listen and pay attention
Orginally published in the Morrow First United Methodist Church Mirror (Week Newsletter/Bulletin)
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