Constellation: (n) a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern
Christmas: when the nays and yeas get together to discuss a baby born in the hay.
To me, It is the only wearisome part of the season. One group tries to convince the other group that the Christmas story from the gospels of Matthew and Luke is not only possible, but also historical.
The other contingency works really hard to dismiss the whole, ridiculous notion of a virgin birth, a Star of David and “angels we have heard on high.”
I take a different approach.
I like to consider what the world needs and what the Earth craves, and then find things in the perimeter which feed that urgency.
The world desperately needs all of us to become human instead of men, women, gay, straight, family, country and culture.
So I flip to Christmas: “We bring you tidings of great joy. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men.”
The Earth also desires respect. Yes, we are a bratty species which thinks the environment is our personal roll of toilet paper.
And then we have the story of the Star of Bethlehem. Somewhere out there in the constellations there emerged a star. The popular belief is that this would have to be a huge star–not necessarily true since the people who followed it were star-gazers, and would not need to be “star-struck” in order to be intrigued with a particular heavenly body.
The elements of the Christmas story are concepts that we, as humans, would have to pursue even if there was no God. For example:
- Be prepared to do what is unusual, or expect the usual results.
- Don’t expect everything to come the way you predicted it. Maybe a woman will be the hero of the tale.
- Look to the stars. Look for some light. Look for some hope. Follow it.
- Listen for the better angels, who tell us to try to get along.
My only regret at Christmas time, as an author, is that Matthew and Luke beat me to the publisher.
Because I’ll tell ya’–I would write that story any day of the week, knowing that it was not only needful, but destined to be a hit.
(click the elephant to see what he’s reading!)
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