As each year the Christmas season passes, many may exclaim, Oh, if we could only have the spirit of Christmas on every day of the year! Through God's great gift to this age of the Christ Science, or Christian Science, mankind is receiving the good tidings of a continuous, eternal Christmas. While we gratefully commemorate at Christmas time the birth of Jesus our Way-shower and his life of practical demonstration of the Christ, obedience to his command that we do the works which he did is the only meaningful celebration of his unique career. This exemplification of his divine teachings makes Christmas a daily, individual experience for every man, woman, and child.
In Christian Science we learn that the Christ is the ever-present, ever-available true idea of God, man, and all creation. In the exact measure that we entertain this Christ we gain the true spirit of Christmas, or the understanding of God's fatherhood, which will lift us above the limitations and frustrations of so-called material existence, above matter and its false laws of sin, disease, and death. Before explaining on page 260 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" that "in Christian Science, Christmas stands for the real, the absolute and eternal,—for the things of Spirit, not of matter," Mary Baker Eddy writes: "An eternal Christmas would make matter an alien save as phenomenon, and matter would reverentially withdraw itself before Mind. The despotism of material sense or the flesh would flee before such reality, to make room for substance, and the shadow of frivolity and the inaccuracy of material sense would disappear."
It is increasingly voiced in public utterances during the Christmas season that a lasting peace will not be achieved until the spirit of Christmas, of good will, peace, and unselfed love, abides in the hearts of men on every day of the year. Indeed, as the Christ becomes universally understood it will make apparent in international relations the brotherhood of man with one common Father.
But this is not all of Christ's ministry in human affairs. Christ works a full salvation from mortal errors. Its seamless robe covers the whole of humanity's problems, extending to the smallest detail of human life, annulling not merely the false laws of sin but of disease and death as well. In the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, under the chapter heading "The office of Christ" (in certain editions of the King James Version) we read (verses 1,3): "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; . . . to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."
All may become aware of and entertain in their consciousness this ever-present healing and saving Christ. It may come to us in moments of earnest desire for something better and higher than the world has to offer, in periods of silent prayer and sweet contemplation of the things of Spirit. In the words of Phillips Brooks,
Where meekness will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
In such moments of sincerity and humility, material-mindedness gives place to spiritual-mindedness. And as these moments of awareness of the ever-present Christ, accompanied by joy, peace, and power, expand into hours, and hours into days, we make Christmas a daily experience, a daily rising out of a false sense of self into the demonstration of true manhood and womanhood. This Christianization of the human self quickens the moral and spiritual sensibilities and manifests itself in a better sense of health, happiness, and success. Mrs. Eddy writes (Miscellany, p. 260), "The true spirit of Christmas elevates medicine to Mind; it casts out evils, heals the sick, raises the dormant faculties, appeals to all conditions, and supplies every need of man."
The essence of Christmas, its power and animating Principle, is Love, unselfish, impartial, universal. Love reflected in daily life sweetens human relationships in the home, in society, and in business, lightens burdens, and gives a foretaste of heaven here and now. It exemplifies Love's giving from its inexhaustible storehouse of good. Our Leader gives us in her article entitled "Love" in "Miscellaneous Writings" an exquisite description of the spirit of Christmas or Love reflected and practiced in human experience (p. 250), "As a human quality, the glorious significance of affection is more than words: it is the tender, unselfish deed done in secret; the silent, ceaseless prayer; the self-forgetful heart that overflows; the veiled form stealing on an errand of mercy, out of a side door; the little feet tripping along the sidewalk; the gentle hand opening the door that turns toward want and woe, sickness and sorrow, and thus lighting the dark places of earth."
These words also depict true giving. We give truly and beneficially when our acts are impelled by unselfishness, wisdom, and love. The desire particularly at Christmas time to bring happiness to others through the giving of gifts may be made a daily spontaneous habit, for can we not give throughout the year to our loved ones, our friends and fellow workers, and to our holy Cause, the gifts of loyalty, trustworthiness, consideration, gratitude, and the like? Such gifts are lasting and satisfying and will never be exchanged.
Are we heeding the loving thoughts or angel messages that come to us during the year, urging us to do certain good deeds which, when inspired by wisdom and unselfed love, bless our fellow men? How far-reaching and illustrative of the Christmas spirit an unselfish act can be was shown to the writer recently after he had sent some gifts intended to reassure and encourage friends in distant lands. One recipient who, unknown to the writer, had been carrying on a valiant battle for right in an organization whose purpose and usefulness self-will and self-aggrandizement were making a vain attempt to pervert, wrote on acknowledging the receipt of the gift, "It was to us the first reward for our labors in a righteous cause and encouraged us immeasurably." And another wrote, "It was like opening a Christmas package."
Every time a spiritual idea of Love, Life, and Truth is born in our consciousness it is as if we had lighted a candle to dispel the darkness of a false material belief. May we continue our prayerful endeavor to illumine "the dark places of earth" by lighting the candles of spiritual understanding until all darkness of materiality has disappeared and consciousness reflects the light and glory of divine Life and Being.
This spiritual illumination, this entrance into our consciousness of the Christ-light, enables us to partake of the nature of the Prince of Peace, of his glory, beauty, Life, and power. This is the way of Christianly scientific healing, the way of individual salvation.
The heavens for much of mankind may be clouded with material beliefs and celebrations so that they cannot see the star of Bethlehem shining brightly on this hour. But for the Wisemen of today, who daily increase their spiritual understanding and give proof of its healing and saving power, the star will shine ever more brightly, and matter and material sense will withdraw before the consciousness of an eternal Christmas.
In the words of a hymn (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 170),
The outward symbols disappear
From him whose inward sight is clear,
And small must be the choice of days
To him who fills them all with praise.
Keep while ye need it, brothers mine,
With honest zeal your Christmas sign,
But judge not him who every morn
Feels in his heart the Lord Christ born.
