Cook's Brew

No room for Christ at Christmas

"No room, only a manger of hay. No room, here in this world turned away. . ."

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The rarely sung Christmas song reflects Jesus' inauspicious beginning. On the first Christmas morn, no room was available for the child whose name would become part of the most celebrated holiday in the world.

Mary gave birth in a stable and her divine son had a manger for a bed. Though the heavens resounded with praises sung by angels, only shepherds took note. They worshipped and eagerly told their tale to apathetic, disinterested people more worried about traveling woes and a census than about a miraculous birth heralded by a celestial choir.

The star that appeared at Jesus' birth attracted the attention of a few eastern astrologers who undertook an arduous journey to find a child that the very firmament welcomed. When they sought the help of King Herod, he plotted to rid the world of the child the star promised.

Jesus grew up in obscurity because the world had no room for the Son of God. When he reached manhood and his true identity was revealed, he was despised and rejected. The world still had no room, so they crucified him like a common criminal.

Long after his resurrection, Jesus' divine identity was finally officially acknowledged. The Roman calendar signals the acceptance of Jesus' importance by dividing time into segments before and after Christ.

A date in December was arbitrarily set to celebrate Christ's birth, since no actual record of his birthday existed. For centuries, the birth of the Christ child has been celebrated on December 25.

Carols were penned and words like "Joy to the world, the Lord is come," fill the airways for the month of December. Nativity scenes blossom; festive decorations deck doors and halls. Wars cease for a day to honor the message of the angels, "peace on earth, goodwill toward men."

Despite the decorations, the music and the hoopla, the world still has no room for the Christ child. We are now immersed in the Christmas rush, but the reason for the celebration has been forgotten by many.

For many, happy holidays and season's greetings have replaced merry Christmas as the seasonal salutation of choice. Some have shortened Christmas to Xmas, taking Christ out of the name of the holiday that celebrates his birth.

While X is the Greek symbol for Christ, those who write Xmas do not usually know that. They are not harking back to the original language. They are indicating that there is no longer any room for Christ. X is faster to write and the shortened name makes the holiday more politically correct, universal and tolerant.

Santa and his reindeer have replaced the baby in the manger as the dominant symbol of the season. Few ponder that the tradition of gift giving mirrors the Magi who brought presents to the Christ child.

In the commercialization of Christmas, Christ has been lost. The jingle of sleigh bells has replaced the solemn deep tones of church bells ushering in a day of remembrance.

"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style," is the seasonal ditty that best represents what Christmas has become in the 21st century.

We have kept the festivity - everybody parties.

We have kept the surface joy - everyone sings.

We have kept the pretence of peace - all take a day off from hostility.

But we have discarded the one who gives meaning to the celebration.

The song "No Room" concludes with, "No room here in the hearts of mankind, no room."

Truly there is no room in the hearts of mankind for Jesus. We have filled our hearts with substitutes for the peace Christ offers. Our hearts are full of seeking after prosperity, fame, and power, all the things we think will bring peace and happiness and security.

Yet our hearts ache for more. Underneath the façade of joy and peace, our hearts cry out, "Is this all? There must be more."

There is more - but there is no room.

Andi Cook may be contacted at andicook@bellsouth.net.