Ho Ho Ho

December 22 is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The sun is at its lowest point in the sky.

For 3 days, the Sun seems to stay at this lowest point, rising below the Southern Cross constellation. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. On the night of December 24, it rises in the eastern sky, aligned with the 3 brightest stars in Orion’s belt. These 3 stars are known as the 3 kings. The alignment points to where the sun rises in the morning.

On Dec. 25, the sun begins to climb in the sky again. What the Romans called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, “the birthday of the unconquered sun.” What we call Christmas, from Christ’s Mass, where a mass is a celebration of the Eucharist or thanksgiving. So Christmas is a thanksgiving celebration of the Christ, although many also commemorate the birth of Jesus that day.

But what is Christ? Christ comes from the Greek word Christos meaning ‘the anointed one’. Anointing is typically to oil, but is ritually symbolic of being blessed by a holy emanation or spirit.  We tend to think of Christ as synonymous with Jesus, but Christ is a title. Jesus became the Christ, a spirit that dwelt in Jesus. Jesus thus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is within. Not a place but rather Christ spirit Itself. And that we should seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and all else will thus be added unto us.(Matthew 6:33)

So Jesus is asking you to seek the Christ within. We are born again in Spirit, “not of perishable seed, but of the imperishable…” (Peter 1:23) “He came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to ever man.” (John 1:8-9)

Thus, Christmas is a celebration of the Christ light within all of us.

Its also notable that the Bible describes a second “advent” or coming of Christ. This is also called the “twice reborn”, when the Christ and Kingdom of Heaven is brought to earth. In the East they call this Unity.

Feliz Navidad,
Joyeux Noel,
Mele Kalikimaka,
Happy Holidays,
Merry Christmas

And a jolly Ho Ho Ho