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The Spirit of Christmas
By Dhon Reyes
We are all too familiar with Uncle Scrooge – the main character in Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. He is from a novel that has been adapted into various other mediums like the recent animation film. Scrooge is a cold-hearted man who despised Christmas until his encounter with four spirits – Jacob Marley, the ghost of Christmas Past, the ghost of Christmas Present, and the ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. In the end, he realized that in order for others to care about him, he needs to care about other people as well.
It’s a heart-warming classic tale that tells us lessons of kindness, humility, compassion, and giving – lessons that we must not only be reminded of during Christmas, but for each day for the rest of our lives. But why do these lessons more often resurface during Christmas?
It is because on Christmas day, we celebrate the birth of Christ.
The birth of Christ is another story taught to every child. Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem with Joseph, the shepherds, and the three wise men as the only ones there. We retell this story every Christmas. But behind the story we have already memorized and the traditions we have developed over the years, let us all look deeper and try to give life to the true meaning of Christmas.
Jesus was born on Earth to give up His life for us. Jesus was a giver His whole life and so should we.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” Allot some time to reflect how good it feels when you give something. Giving does not only mean material things. Time and talent is also counted. When was the last time you used your skills and talents to help someone in need? Or when was the last time you spent your weekend with your grandparents. Giving, essentially, is sharing a part of us that could never be replaced without expecting anything in return.
Jesus came down to Earth to live and be with us. That very action displays His selflessness and love for us. In 2 Corinthians 8:9, it says “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
Selflessness is also forgiving. Setting aside the pain and bruised egos to understand other people. It is letting go of the hurt and our self-centeredness to open ourselves to forgiving completely and sincerely. Just as what Jesus continuously does so for us.
Jesus represents all of these. And on Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ.
Let us not be Uncle Scrooge. We do not need four Christmas spirits to make us realize the goodness there is to living a more giving, forgiving, and caring life. All we need is Jesus Christ in our hearts.
