Inside Furman December, 2000

Disturbed by joy
By James M. Pitts, University Chaplain

"'Tis the season to be jolly," says the carol. With bells ringing and people singing, the music of Christmas creates a festive atmosphere that invites all to celebrate. During this annual binge of feeling good, there is the Christmas holiday paradox. The flip side of red and green is gray or blue. While others are up, a lot of folks are down and simply depressed.

To put it bluntly, they are disturbed by the joy of the holidays. Christmas recalls, more than any other event, memories of childhood. Christmas brings back feelings long forgotten. Christmas reminds us of dreams denied. We are painfully reminded of our sense of loss. Lost in nostalgia, we feel left out, abandoned and alone!

No matter how frantic our mask of activity, sooner or later we find ourselves standing in line, waiting with cash in hand, trying to buy things that are free. Against the chill of winter, our threadbare robes of depression barely insulate and protect our sense of sorrow. Like an old friend, our mood of despair is carefully nurtured and grasped. We water it with alcohol and stuff it with sweets. No matter how hard we protest or retreat, Christmas comes. Christmas with Christ crashes in on our life and upsets our routines.

The coming of Christ arouses antagonism. It did that first Christmas and it does now. He disturbs the comfortable and predictable status quo. He will not be contained in a manger, or on a cross or in a tomb. He comes with the gift of life that is a present for all our days. Affluent exchanges of gifts and rich Christmas dinners are not enough. Christ will not be romanticized in a Yuletide binge of lovelessness, superstition, big dollar signs dipped in eggnog, and a sense of nothing. Christmas disturbs and it disturbs with joy!

To Mary, the angelic Christmas greeting was indeed disturbing: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." (Luke 1:30-33)

To shepherds, the angelic Christmas greeting upset their night watch. "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-14)

So you see, even from the beginning, Christmas was a mixed bag of feelings. Christmas time continues to be a holiday paradox of fantasy and faith, fear and peace, sadness and joy. Don't be anxious or afraid. Jesus is the good news of great joy that has come to all people.

As we experience this season, let us:

o Recognize the mixed feelings we bring and share with one another. o Reassess how we anticipate Christmas. Are our expectations realistic? Are we setting ourselves up for guaranteed disappointment?

o Remember our childhood honestly, not romantically or cynically, but realistically.

o Talk candidly with one another about our feelings, unpleasant or happy, sad or pleasurable.

o Get together with others to reflect upon the awe and wonder of Christmas as we hear it told in story and song in times of congregational worship.

Regardless of your feelings this Christmas, take time to praise God and proclaim his love to those about you. By getting in touch with ourselves, our family and friends, and with God, we will help avoid those feelings of isolation and depression that often come with the holidays. And you know, this Christmas, we may find ourselves, like the folks involved in the first Christmas, disturbed by joy!