I had a work colleague confused about the Jewish celebration of Passover and Christmas. Apparantly she thought that Christmas was the time for Passover – that’s why Christians chose this date for ‘Christ’s birth’.
But the simple fact is we don’t know the exact date of Jesus’ birth – which isn’t to say that his birth was insiginificant. In this day and age when all around me I see the signs of political correctness (shown in the ‘Happy Holidays’ slogan and the hiddenness of nativity scenes) it seems that people are lacking interest in this event anyway.
Which is almost the way Luke describe’s Christ’s entry into this world. Lacking fanfare…with people more concerned about other issues. Here was the baby Jesus – who would save the world through His blood – born in a pre-used animal trough, in a barn, in an otherwise unimportant town. This is hardly a fitting entrance for the God of the universe! Why the lack of pomp and ceremony for his birth?
Christ’s entry into this world teaches us that his birth is significant in so many ways – because the Saviour came to redeem us in a way none of us expected…through His death and resurrection. It is then not too inconceivable that Christ’s life would be filled with so many unexpected things.
So whilst I look out into this world and reflect upon the way we celebrate this time of year, I remember that there are still some who know the reason for the season. It is still sad, however, to see that we have moved so far away from it.
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