Christmas – The Most Celebrated Birthday in the World

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. Some people cringe when they hear the name because they’ve been subjected to indoctrination that does not fit their internal reality. They have difficulty with concepts like “immaculate conception,” “Son of God,” or “walked on water.” Others are filled with joy at merely hearing his name and believing everything the Bible claims about his birth and life. Some are trying to sort it out. Regardless of anyone’s perception, his message and life are worthy of celebration. Who else has lived such a selfless life to help mankind?
While scholars debate the exact date of Jesus’s birth or the precise nature of his miracles, his impact on the world cannot be challenged.
Born over 2,000 years ago, Jesus (like many others at the time) was raised in humble surroundings. He was taught the laws and scriptures of the Jewish faith, which included the Ten Commandments, as well as the history and rituals of the Jewish people. As an adult, Jesus evolved into a spiritual leader whose message departed from tradition. This was a threat to the religious system and ultimately cost him his life.
Though Jesus was a devout Jew, his message departed from the organized religion of his time. Instead of for financial gain or to control “sinful” behaviors like theft, dishonesty, and adultery, Jesus focused on three major concepts — love God, love thy neighbor, and love thyself. With these three things in place, it’s impossible to violate oneself or others. The attainment of such love was not through punishment but through forgiveness. His message was so threatening to the Jewish leadership that they successfully plotted to have him crucified. His entire adult life was devoted to teaching people to open their minds to loving a Creator and approaching all of life with love. For this, he was tortured and then nailed to a cross to die.
He did not live until a ripe old age and then quietly slip into death. His death was profound and dramatic and could not be minimized. He was guilty of nothing.
You don’t have to be religious to grasp the power of Jesus’ life and message. He gave his life so that we could understand his message. Even as death descended upon him, he spoke of forgiveness. How could he do this if he were not sure of love?
It’s not easy to forgive people who’ve deeply hurt us. I have a hard time shaking anger when someone pulls in front of me or even harder when a loved one hurts me. The most difficult of all is self-forgiveness. But forgiveness is letting go of pain, and when we do, that space is filled with love. Jesus taught us to love no matter what and that we needed something greater than ourselves to attain that love. He never described God; he left it up to us to find a God of our own understanding. He delivered the message and honored our free will to take it or leave it — peace or misery.
It doesn’t matter when Jesus was born. What matters most is that he gave us the solution to every problem: love God, your neighbor, and yourself. Instead of rules and rituals, he showed us how to govern our free will away from hatred, negativity, and resentment toward letting go of suffering and finding kindness.
Gift-giving is lovely during the holidays. But on this momentous occasion, let us remember to add another present to the mix: LOVE. After all, this is why Christmas is the most celebrated birthday in the world.

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