An Advent Reflection

Advent Reflection

The Christmas tree, beautifully lit, decorated and usually topped by a Star or an Angel heralds the Christmas season. Together with the holly, ivy, Father Christmas, snowmen and sleighs it builds up the magical atmosphere of Christmas and all that means for the Christian world.

It is sad, therefore that in America The White House has bowed to that new god ‘political correctness’ and called the traditional Christmas Trees - Holiday Trees. It is good, though that Ben Stein, a CBS Presenter and a Jew to his very roots, has spoken out in protest. He sees through the hypocrisy of the so called liberal humanists in using the platform of ‘political correctness’ as an opportunity to further their anti God campaign.

Atheist liberal humanists are a small, vocal, influential group well placed in media circles whose aim it would appear is to rid the world of God and all the, so called, superstitious nonsense surrounding belief in God, inherited from primitive times.
 

We witnessed them here in our own country hard at work in the period leading up to the Pope’s visit to the UK in September 2010. Fortunately, on this occasion, they did us more good than harm and their pickets and protests were scarcely visible in the event, though they got plenty of media coverage in the weeks and days prior to the hugely fruitful and successful visit of Our Holy Father.

Ben Stein takes a grim look at the society created through banning religious education or bible reading in schools, and through psychologist’s half baked theories that prevent parents and guardians from legitimately chastising their children for misbehaviour. The picture he paints is very true of our own society. Like Ben, we ask ourselves why so many children and young and people have no conscience, why they do not know right from wrong, why it does not bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves? In the light of our own recent experiences we could add killing old, helpless people, innocent young children, and violent robbery and looting.

Ben provides his own answer “WE REAP WHAT WE SOW” and really puts the onus back on ourselves. Why have we let it happen? We still have our faith schools in the UK but are we aware how subtly they can and are being changed in character by government policies and infiltration with humanist values which appear modern and cool?

During this season as we prepare to celebrate the great mystery of the “Incarnation” God becoming Man and living among us it might be salutary for us to ponder some of the questions below:

While humanists are very vocal in denouncing God how vocal are we in proclaiming God, our beliefs and values?

Do we think our faith is a private thing?

Why are we embarrassed to share faith with others and even with our own families?

Why are we so reticent in speaking of the things of God?

Do we want to forget that Christ’s ongoing and final message was “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the good news?”

Our personal world might be very small but how much impact do make on it.?                                                                                                            

These are some of the questions that have arisen for me since reading the email sent by Ben Stein and I share them with you to reflect on during the Advent season. I am certainly not disposed to adopt a new name for our Christmas Trees. Like the holly and the ivy, they have their own particular message for this holy season so I am going to finish this Reflection with the Christmas Carol “O Christmas Tree.”

Sing along with it and ponder its message. Camilla 
 
Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree
How lovely are your branches.
Not only green in summer's heat
But also winter's snow and sleet.
Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree
How lovely are your branches.

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree
Of all the trees most lovely.
Each year you bring to me delight
Shining bright through the longest night.
Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree
Of all the trees most lovely.

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas tree
Your beauty green will teach me
That hope and joy and faithfulness
Are precious things I can possess.
Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas Tree
Your beauty green will teach me.