On Wednesday I went to look for an outdoor nativity scene in several of our major stores. I could not find one. I found Christmas trees, reindeer, snowmen, Santa Claus, a few angels blowing horns, and even Snoopy on top of his dog house, but no outdoor Nativity scene and no baby Jesus.
There are those of us who remember Christmas before Rudolph or Snoopy, but then we had Jesus in the manger and the story of what happened that first Christmas Day. It made me wonder whether there was still a Jesus Christ after whom Christmas was named. Is Jesus passe’ like Christmas bubble lights and trees hung with silver tinsel?
To quote the famous letter to Virginia by newspaper editor Francis P. Church: (I am substituting (Jesus) for Santa Claus.) “Yes, Virginia, there is a (Jesus)… there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it real? Ah, Virginia, in all the world there is nothing else real and abiding.”
“No, (Jesus)! Thank God: he lives and lives forever.”
I hope next year I can find Jesus. He deserves as much respect as Santa Claus.
Virginia Dollarhide
Stanwood
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