Remembering the Meaning of Christmas
We Wish You and Your Loved Ones a Merry Christmas
By Richard Luthmann
NOTE: A version of this article was published in Sun Bay Paper as an editorial.
The past year has seen much darkness. We saw terror attacks and an unresolved situation in Israel, with tensions not seen since the 1970s. There were earthquakes and floods that devastated millions domestically and abroad. We have the ongoing devastation of Ukraine and a diaspora of survivors. And we have seen a multitude of other human tragedies. We have fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, sheltered the homeless, and buried the dead.
But in the face of darkness, we must remember the true meaning of Christmas. And in a word, it can be stated with simplicity - Light. The Light of the World, and the Light of the Earth. A beacon in the darkness.
America is a country built upon the Judeo-Christian tradition. Nothing can be properly understood without it, from our foundational documents to our fundamental rights derived from natural law.
This truth was understood by the crew of Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the Moon. They entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts did a live television broadcast.
William Anders:
"For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you".
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."
Jim Lovell:
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."
Frank Borman:
"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good."
Borman then added, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."
We should remember the Light was first revealed to the Israelites in their covenant, as detailed in the Hebrew Scriptures. Under successive oppression from the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, they still kept testament to the Light. Christmas fulfills the prophet Isaiah’s words:
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel."
In our modern days, we are enlightened and hear the message from the mouths of babes. After many frustrations, Charlie Brown calls out to anyone to explain to him the true meaning of Christmas.
Linus reminds us all exactly why we celebrate:
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
As Linus said, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
To remember the meaning of Christmas, we must celebrate the Light and that the Divine came into this world as flesh:
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.”
In a world in turmoil, where legions of darkness seek to surround and destroy the righteous, Christmas is our beacon. It is our reminder that good will prevail over evil.
Christmas reminds us that God blessed us with his only Son, Jesus Christ, who brought us an Eternal Light that prevails over all darkness. Our entire history and tradition as Americans are rooted in this core fundament. And now, more than ever, we must never forget it.
From all of us at this publication to you, your families, and your loved ones, we wish you tidings of joy and peace. We commemorate the coming of Christ as our Light in a world of darkness. And we remember that Good will triumph over evil so long as we stay the course.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas.
Beautiful message. Thank you for your integrity, fearlessness, and core values. All the best in the year to come.
Beautifully written