By: David Conde
In an old Christmas movie there is a scene where the gathered children sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. This take on Christmas simplifies the rather complex story of Bethlehem, the manger, the angels, the shepherds, the Three Wise Men and their gifts and the impending danger to the new-born King.
For children it is uncomplicated to celebrate Jesus’ birthday like they celebrate theirs. I can imagine the kids having a party with cake and ice cream and not thinking about the fact that the transformative figure they are feasting is no other than the Savior of the world and the author of a new belief system two thousand and twenty one years ago.
We might say that the children look at the Christ Child as one of their own. After all, is it not their innocence that he used as a lesson on how to get to heaven? In this example, Christ also emphasized childhood as the most important and precious period in our existence. It is the wasted condition of adult life that brought him to Earth and his ministry.
One way the New Testament offers for achieving a childhood state of grace is the notion of being born again. Christ demonstrated part of that concept in his baptism by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.
In every culture, coming to the water is also a return to origins for the transformation of an individual from one state to another. For Jesus, the ritual symbolized his transition from his Father’s essence to become part of the common day world to carry out his work. We know this because when he went away after his resurrection, he sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples. That was what he came with at birth.
Both concepts became an accepted part of Christian belief with different variations. Catholics baptize their children at birth because of original sin attributed to Adam and Eve, a notion that we are all sinners at birth and therefore need to be baptized. Protestants generally baptize a young adult that has consciously repented of sin and made a commitment to their faith. Many sects in this category also promote a spiritual baptism based on the concept of Pentecost and the original transformation by the Holy Spirit of the disciples.
Both of these teachings contribute to the belief in being born again. Being born again connotes the idea of dying to the life of sin and being born to new forgiveness. These beliefs and sacraments tend to complicate an important part of the Greatest Story Ever Told. Children that celebrate Christ’s birthday would want to celebrate it with cake and ice cream or in Latin American, a “Rosca de Reyes” bread with baby Jesus figurines stuffed inside.
In other words, the birth of Christ can be seen as a simple affair that requires only a fiesta to record a timeless moment of transformation. However, it has become more than that because of its role and meaning to our civilization. In the larger context Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection (rebirth) are foundational moments of Christianity. Organized religions make these key moments basic to their teaching and framework of their faith.
Yet, there is a lot of value in simplifying Jesus’ ministry on Earth because in doing so, the truth of his words and deeds would be most powerful. Being happy for his birthday, sad for his death and elevated by his second birth and prom- ise to return has no equal in clarity.
Merry Christmas to all and Happy Birthday Jesus.
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of la Voz bilingüe. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
