CHRISTMAS celebrates the birth of Jesus, the Way-shower, who brought to mankind the gift of gifts —love for God and man—and the tokens of man's true health, life, and holiness. Cherishing his spiritual sonship above all else, Jesus never allowed what is called human nature to hinder his manifestation of the divine nature. Thus he stands as the Exemplar whose holy appearing not only blessed his contemporaries, but also foreshadows the new birth for one and all, since with the birth of Jesus came the birth of Christianity. "Bear in mind always," Mrs. Eddy writes (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 148), "that Christianity is not alone a gift, but that it is a growth Christ-ward." Christmas, then, is more than an anniversary; its significance is deep and perpetual.
To Christian Scientists Christmas comes as a reminder that they must hold sacred this gift of Christianity through their spiritualized lives and their increasing dominion over sin, disease, and death. During the world's merrymaking at the Christmas season it is well to weigh values and to reach out still more earnestly for spiritual vision, purity, power. Christmas is a time of spiritual rejoicing, a time of quietness and temperance, a time in which to note once again how far one is himself carrying out and extending the healing mission of Christianity.
It is evident that material gifts are often exchanged owing to precedent and formality, and that they call forth mainly a tedious sense of obligation and reciprocity. From Paul's sanctified heart welled up this desire: "I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift." The Christian Scientist's innermost desire is to share with those in need the love-inspired gifts which banish frowns, relieve cares, destroy sin and suffering, and multiply the blessedness of both giving and receiving. There is no one who may not offer the sincere handshake, the well-chosen word of encouragement. There is no one who may not acquire through reflecting Love the tender look which not only rests upon friends but also seeks out reserved and lonely ones shrinking in secluded corners, because they believe themselves to be unworthy or unwanted. To one and all the Christian Scientist seeks to reflect the Love which sees its own reflection everywhere.
