Vol.
1 No. 3
December 20, 2004
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Practically
all of the traditions we celebrate now can be traced back
to these ancient pagan celebrations: the Yule log, feasting,
the giving of presents…yes, gift giving has its roots
in the ancient Yule celebrations. Back when there were no
supermarkets and no commercial farms churning out food every
month of the year, people had to rely on the harvest and ration
their food for the long winter months. Often times, some would
have bountiful harvests while others would come up short.
The practice of giving a share of food to those less fortunate
thus developed, and as time went on, the practice expanded
to include non-food items.
Part of our present gift-giving tradition can also be traced
to the Roman practice of giving gifts during Saturnalia. Such
gifts had to be of a certain quality or substance, or bad
luck would plague the giver for the coming year.
The early Christians tried to suppress this pagan practice
of gift-giving, but like so many other pagan traditions, it
was not easily suppressed, and so the Christians made it their
own.
Hence the church, rather than trying to eliminate a popular
celebration with roots deep in time, created its own holiday
in the midst of all the winter celebrations. Over time, the
pagan roots were forgotten but the traditions remained.
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The Wise Men
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So when you find yourself standing in line, waiting to ring
up your purchases, just remember that you are carrying on
a tradition that began many hundreds of years ago, one that
has changed remarkably little in spirit despite the constant
wear of time.
LITERARY
GENIUS
FROM
THE HOLY BIBLE— THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
New King James Version
Matthew 1:18-25. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they
came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting
to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph,
son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife,
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call
His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold,
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall
call His name Immanuel,” which is translated,
“God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from
sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took
to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought
forth her firstborn Son…
Matthew 2:1-9. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East
came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been
born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East
and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard
this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when
he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people
together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus
it is written by the prophet…”
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined
from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to
Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the
young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word
to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they
heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which
they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and
stood over where the young Child was.
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