The Christ in Christmas

I just received an e-mail with the opening line: "Happy non-denominational holidays to you and yours!"  Even if I weren't religious, I think that would want to make me puke.  Why not just say "Happy New Year"?  Because if we are honest with ourselves, every other holiday at this time of year is religious--they have religious roots and deep religious meaning.  Christmas, for all of its commercial influence and spending, is truly about Christ.

Whether or not we are always conscious of it, symbols of Christ's birth permeate this season and each of our holiday experiences.  The following may seem elementary, but Christ instructed us to become as little children.  When I walk down the streets of Manhattan, arguably one of the more secular cities in the nation, I am surrounded by symbols of Christ's birth, ministry, and life mission.  The rampant evergreen Christmas trees adorned with tiny white lights symbolize that Christ is the light of the world and that His eternal atoning sacrifice provides eternal life for each of us.  From the New York Cares coat drive in Grand Central Station to the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots, we are reminded that Christ's lifelong service ministering to the sick and needy is also our responsibility and opportunity to help those in our midst.  Indeed, the multitudes of homeless and unemployed people I pass each day on my walk to work are a constant reminder that "the poor shall never cease out of the land" and that we are commanded, not merely by an earthly government or by social responsibility, but by God himself to "open thine hand wide unto they brother to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."  (Deuteronomy 15:11) 

Living outside of the city, we are finally able to see stars, reminding us of the star that symbolized Christ's birth.  Last night, Nathan and I decorated our own Christmas tree with candy canes, symbolizing the canes of the shepherds who visited the baby Jesus 2000 years ago in Bethlehem.  And as so many of us engage in giving gifts to friends and relatives, we are participating in a symbol of our Heavenly Father's supernal gift of His first born Son and the subsequent gift that Son, Jesus Christ, gave to each of us when He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane and died for us on Calvary's hill.

This is a particularly important year for Jews, Christians, and non-religious English speakers alike, though many may be unaware of its importance.  Four hundred years ago, the King James translation of the Bible was completed.  Many sources have cited the King James Bible as the most influential book in the world, not only for its influence on the history of the world, but also for its supreme impact on the human language.  (The King James Bible has contributed more to the English language than any other single source, including the works of Shakespeare.) 

Nathan and I have begun celebrating the Christmas season by simultaneously celebrating the lives and work of many martyrs and others who sacrificed to translate the Bible so that the common man or woman would have access to it.  One way we are celebrating is by watching a fantastic mini-series about the multi-century history of the coming forth of the King James Bible.  You can watch it here for free.  The testimonies of people like William Tyndale have reminded me of and strengthened my own testimony of the importance and divinity of the Savior, Jesus Christ.  He lives.  He gave His life that we may all live again.  The Bible and Book of Mormon testify of Him.  He is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world.  We are all indebted to Him, and Christmas is His holiday.