LET’S face it folks, Christmas, regardless of its crass commercialism, traffic madness and good old Aussie summer heat, has long been a cultural and religious tradition in this country.
Christmas is a major part of what nationalistic Australians would call a Christian nation, one which references our reliance on “the blessing of Almighty God” in its Constitutional Preamble.
Christian nations, of course, are tolerant nations. We can accommodate people from Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu cultures – as long as they can learn to assimilate under the national flag of Australia. Assimilation is a lesson yet to be learned for some.
So it is essential that Christmas, for the patriotic Aussie, is celebrated for what it is – a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The cross of Christ is represented at least twice in our national flag. One is the red Cross of St George within the Union Jack in the upper left corner – a reference to our historic colonial ties with the United Kingdom.
It is also represented in the five stars of the Southern Cross, which many of us take as the Almighty God’s signature in the southern night sky. It is something that those of non-Christian beliefs should take note of.
The Christmas story itself is repeated in churches of all denominations every festive season from the gospels of the New Testament.
Luke’s gospel records: “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
“And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “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 forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
It’s an incredible concept to think of “a kingdom without end”. Theologians describe the House of Jacob as the 12 tribes of Israel. The term often parallels “House of Israel” or “the nation of Israel.” Bible.Hub’s commentary notes that Luke’s reference to “House of Jacob” in the New Testament context, “captures the entire scope of the covenant people through whom the Messiah comes. It shows that the promise to Jacob, and thus to all Israel, reaches its fulfillment in the eternal reign of Christ.”
We would also note that “Israel”, in it’s New Testament context, becomes the spiritual company of people who follow Christ, also referred to as “the seeds of Abraham”.
So once again, we celebrate the birth of Christ and wish all our readers a very Merry, Joyous and Thoughtful Christmas.
