Article by Alex Gordon

A Christmas Message

Historically, December 25th was not Christ’s birthday. No-one quite knows exactly when Christ was born, and given the changes made to the calendar by Pope Gregory, which changed our lives from a correct lunar cycle to a disjointed solar cycle, the situation was complicated even further. However, this is the date on which we choose to celebrate Christ’s birthday because we have no other accurate information.When a person’s birthday is celebrated, we treat them well and we buy them presents. We try to make them happy and we have a feast in their honour so that they will be well pleased, but sadly, from my observations, far from honouring Christ we continue to crucify him.

In some senses he is still hanging on the cross suffering derision and insult.

Here was certainly the greatest man ever to walk this world, who made the blind see and the lame walk – who even raised the dead. So, what did they do to him then? They nailed him to a cross and watched him die.

The problem is that many many people are still doing just that, only in a slightly different form.

Amongst our many good priests we have corrupt and immoral priests who mock the very person they claim to represent and in the lay community, amongst many good and honest Christians, we have wicked and false Christians who bend and twist the words of Christ to suit themselves and enable them to do whatever they wish. People living outside of the United Kingdom I’m sure will be shocked to know that some of our local Councils here have banned Christmas and replaced it with ‘A Winter Festival’. Also in some areas of London, bibles, crosses and crucifixes have been banned from hospitals.

And people blaspheme the name of Christ and god with no thought whatsoever to what they are actually saying. The now slightly dated English expression ‘cor blimey’ actually means, ‘god blind me’. This is not a wise thing to request of someone who has the power to calm the very storms of the sea and who can transcend death itself.

This society has cancer. The cancer is deep-rooted and it has many many secondary tumours. Little by little the evil-doers in this society have undermined the church and the constitution. In the UK they prowl around the monarchy waiting for a suitable moment to abolish it, and they push ever forward using liberalism and the law to gain an ever more fatal grip on the vital organs of this country.Christ did not tell us to do things in order to boss us around, he did so to save us from self-inflicted misery, to avoid the ruthless laws of cause and effect, of karma.

And so his birthday comes again, and what will we give him? As we trudge around the shops putting ourselves into debt to buy the latest technological gadgets to give to those whom we love – what shall we give to Christ?  I am not a Christian, because I struggle to forgive and forget, and if I can’t forgive then I cannot be a true Christian, but I am a huge fan of Christ and I do acknowledge him as the greatest man to ever set foot on this planet, the purest and the most evolved.

So, what present can we give Christ on his birthday? Maybe we could stop treating him like dirt and abusing his name with every second breath. Maybe we could stop thieving and hurting and hating and killing. Maybe we could be honourable again? But then, not doing something bad does not constitute doing something good, so all of those things I believe would not impress him, please him maybe, but not impress him because we should have ceased those actions thousands of years ago.Can we not give him sanctity and find a tiny portion of our hearts which remains pure in which he can feel at home, a place which is incorruptible, and when people pray, please stop asking for what you want, over and over again, ask him what he wants.

If one does not respect Christ, then who can we respect? Who is greater and who is wiser and who is more loving?

Yes, perhaps we should ask Christ what he would like as a present on his birthday and then strive to find it for him. The answer may be hard, but not as hard as the cold bitterness of regret.Also, with respect, Christ comes in many many forms to test the true meaning of our hearts. If we have no love, then we are dead and death can come swiftly and stealthily to those whose hearts are hard and cruel, always when it is least expected, so while we have one more minute and one more tomorrow, let us cherish it and celebrate Christ re-born, sanctified, and most of all, respected.

Let us take Christ gently and reverently down from the cross of derision, nurture him and heal his wounds, maybe make him smile, and be eternally grateful that he ever bothered with us at all.