Give Forgiveness

For many in the world, Christmas arrives on the first day of the week, Sunday.

Fittingly this day was originally Christ’s Mass, the secular holiday now celebrated has been shortened to Christmas, and for many unfortunately unappreciative of Yeshua’s true nature, merely Xmas. It could well be written $mas, meaning in Spanish, More Money.

Gift giving was a tradition of Saint Nicholas, celebrated on December 6^th for centuries.

In 1870 the Congress of the United States passed legislation to make Christmas a national holiday. This was a mere five years after the end of the American Civil War, one of the bloodiest in human history up to that time; it claimed more than 1,030,000 lives in barely four years of conflict. It was fitting that the Union general victorious in that war, as president of the restored union, signed into law a “Day of Peace” to honor the Prince of Peace.

A small minority argued at the time that Reconstruction of the United States could not be successful unless Reconciliation also was brought to the table. This idea gained little support, and was silenced by money interests.

Over the past 141 years money interests have steadily overshadowed the spiritual meanings of Christ’s Mass. I believe only a small minority today adhere to the spiritual essence of this day. One anarchistic minority attacks both the spiritual essence and others’ rights to say ‘’Merry Christmas” in public. Another confused group erroneously argues against Christmas per “separation of church and state;” the Supreme Court found that a manger display is not an establishment of religion (Lynch vs. Donnelly, 1983).

During the 20^th Century, Saint Nicholas had been transformed into Santa Claus, and then essentially made into a banal clown. The essential spiritual meaning of Yeshua’s birth, and the sacredness of all births, has been repressed simultaneously with exponential growth in the abortion industry around the globe, not coincidently.

I propose a fresh approach to Christmas that combine’s Yeshua’s spiritual essence with a gift-giver’s adherence to that tradition originating with Saint Nick: Give Forgiveness.

To all those deleted from one’s life, taken off that Christmas card list, give forgiveness.

To family members, give forgiveness.

  

To former friends and present enemies, give forgiveness.

To strangers, to Congresspersons, to political usurpers, to “illegal aliens,” give forgiveness to all, to as many as you can within the limits of your spiritual budget. 

Expect nothing in return; this is not a barter exchange. Seek to expiate, to set free those whom you can.

In accord with the words of Yeshua, to honor his birth, whatever day it actually occurred, go to a private place and ask that forgiveness be passed along to friend and foe alike. It is written: “But you, when you pray, enter into your closet and lock your door, and pray to your father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you in public.” (Aramaic Bible in Plain English ©2010) 

Give this gift of forgiveness, whether entirely through private, secret prayer or person-to-person, or both. “ . . . as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Leave it to “Anonymous” and the Israeli Mossad to intone their common motto: “We do not forget, we do not forgive.” Rise above, and forgive.