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This is my fifth and final pre-Christmas Commentary, I’ve covered the basis from Scriptural reivews of the only two known historical records: Matthew and Luke’s infancy accounts, to a myriad of fantasy secular and Christian beliefs. For a final overview, just in case you don’t already have too much information, WIKIPEDIA has a great recap. I want to end on some very personal beliefs and observations.

Jesus was an agreed upon historical figure, if not the greatest in all human history. He lived! More importantly, he died and was resurrected. Not your everyday event! More books have been written about him than all the others put together. The Bible is far and away the number one selling book in all of history. We have no exact date of birth and the year is anywhere from 4BC to 8BC. And though we celebrate his birth on not his birthday, the tradition is valid!

Christianity and all religions have their fundamental beliefs, their traditions, and most have their sacred canon(s): ours is the Bible. And though very, very few people have a clue as to how Bible was put together, why we have the books in the Bible that we do, what Luther did and did not do to the Bible, and why we believe what we believe- they nonetheless share in the Christian journey. I am blessed to be a part of that community.

Yes, the journey has taken many detours over the last 2,000 years, and we may be going down a wrong way street currently, but we’re in pursuit of some image of God. May God, the Father, send us some traffic cops, erect some clear signs, and otherwise, help us find our way to the truth and reality of what being a Christian really is all about. How you celebrate this season, if at all, will fall far short of what should be. If we can at least acknowledge that, then maybe we can be open over the following 365 days to His truth and therein find Christmas 2006 much richer, meaningful, and intimate.

So, while it’s still legal, let we wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS. May this season that ends in a NEW YEAR, find you alone with Him at some moment, some hour, one day, and therein be forever changed: being transformed in a way that you can never return to Christmas 2005 in the same spirit ever again. Don’t expect a one hour make-over. But, expect to see some cracks in your proverbial egg. As Leonard Cohen sang in his song, Anthem, “There is a crack in everything; and that’s how the light gets in.