Holding on to holy simplicity at Christmas

For a number of years, just before and after the turn of the millennium, I wrote for the Ottawa Citizen in a weekly feature called Ask the Religion Experts. In the early days of the column, answers to readers’ questions were provided by four “experts” from major religions. 

Each week, my interfaith colleagues and I would try to offer some wisdom and insight into the matters raised by readers. Quite literally, the questions covered everything from heaven to hell! It was challenging to respond to complex questions with 300 or so words. I learned early on that writing shorter pieces resulted in less editing—but even with a concise writing style, it was always a bit nerve-wracking to wait for the Saturday paper to see whether carefully chosen words had been catastrophically altered.

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A remarkable benefit of the column was being able to compare and contrast different religious perspectives on issues of meaning, theology, morality, justice, and society. Frequently, and not surprisingly, the answers displayed similar themes of serving the common good, accepting diversity, and the importance of caring for one another—especially those who are most vulnerable. The “golden rule” that runs through most of the world’s religions was often evident.

Way back in 1998, a reader asked this question about Christmas: “During this frantic season, what can people do to stay focused on faith and spirituality?” The reply I provided is still relevant, especially during a pandemic:

Christmas can be a very stressful time of year. There are so many layers of expectations placed on the season that some people spend the weeks leading up to it feeling pressured to make everything nice, and to somehow draw together all their feelings of love and goodwill into one day with the right gift for everyone.

Christmas can be a bit tyrannical, if the truth be told, and I would invite everybody to keep things simple for themselves and others—to enjoy the day and one another and let go of anything that gets in the way of doing so.

For Christians, Christmas is but one special moment in the year-round celebration of God who comes to the whole world in great simplicity—God with us, among us, within our midst, in our hearts. Holy simplicity. True life is found in trusting God as Jesus did, and in continually seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit—which has a lot to do with simply letting yourself be loved and strengthened so you can give love and strength to others, every day of your life.

Keep your faith by keeping it simple. Enjoy the day and savour all it means for every day of the year. Find a welcoming church that has timeless ritual and let yourself go into the glorious possibilities of the powerful, transforming love of the Creator of Creation. Gather there with loved ones and strangers on the Feast of the Birth of Christ and give thanks that God comes to us in great gentleness and simplicity.

Many people, often with many questions—and often with broken hearts—pass through the doors of our churches and community ministries at Christmas. It is our privilege and our call to welcome everyone with generous hospitality, and to do our best to show them the gentle, bracing, and enduring love of Christ.