TCATS #308 - Welcome, Christmas Season!

The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square kicked off the Christmas season with a round of Christmas songs today for Music & the Spoken Word. Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, For Unto Us a Child is Born, The Holly & the Ivy and a few others rang through the choir loft and out into the audience testifying that Christ is truly the reason for the season.

And truly He is!

Unfortunately, sometimes it's difficult to stay reminded of that. 

Just last night, my wife and I were at the grand opening of the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Farmington and were trying to find a Christmas-themed picture book (we purchase one each Christmas season as a family tradition). We looked in one spot that a B&N worker pointed us to, but were disappointed to find that none of them were even remotely connected to the true meaning of Christmas. We then found another display of holiday books, only to be equally disappointed. Finally, we came across one small section of one bookshelf where lo and

behold! There were actually a few that DID have Christ as their theme. We finally settled on one titled SANTA'S PRAYER which had the following description: "Celebrate the real reason for the season with Santa as he takes time from a busy Christmas Eve to pause and offer a prayer to the Lord. On Christmas Eve, a brother and sister stroll through their town, excitedly discussing the gifts they hope to find under the tree. Then they suddenly spy Santa quietly slipping into the church. They follow him inside, where they witness his humble prayer at the altar crèche and hear his greatest holiday wish: that children understand that Jesus is the focus at Christmas . . . and always."

Perfect! 

Another example of Christ being hard to find in Christmas was mentioned by a member of a local congregation I worshiped with today. She stood to share her testimony and mentioned that last year, each time she'd get in her car, she'd turn on the Christmas radio station to enjoy Christmas music. She'd also hear that same music played at stores or shopping malls or on predefined Pandora or Spotify Christmas playlists. To her dismay, though, by December 25th, she was really sick of Christmas music! And then she realized why: almost none of the songs she had been listening to were true Christmas carols that spoke of Christ. (As an aside, if I'm out shopping and have to endure "Santa Baby" or "Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time" or "Mele Kalikimaka" or "All I Want for Christmas" just one more time, I think I'll run out of the store like a crazy person!) Do non-Christ centered Christmas songs have their place? Sure. Who doesn't enjoy Jingle Bells or White Christmas or Frosty the Snowman sometimes? But I'd argue that the songs that endure in your heart and bring hope and peace won't have themes of roasted chestnuts or jingling sleighs. Rather, they'll connect you with the babe in the manger, who "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man," who lived and loved perfectly, and who gave his life for each one of us.

I hope we can all find ways to keep Christ in Christmas this year. It's unlikely the world will help with that. It'll be up to us to proactively make that happen.

Until next time, God be with you.

(A few pics from today's broadcast)