Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 0-249 (Devotional)

HOLIER NOW!

by Rod Koopmans

We are familiar with the descriptive term “Holy” as it applies to this season of the year, especially the Holy Night and Holy Child. We also recall how the holy event occurred in the Holy Land, the message of the Holy Angels and the familiar passages found in Holy Scripture. In fact, in the same way that “good-bye” is a form of “God be with you”, “holiday” is a form of “holy day”.

One way we celebrate the holidays is through family, religious and/or personal rituals. We decorate in our own way, exchange certain types of gifts, prepare certain types of foods, attend special services and events, watch certain programs, – the list goes on. We may even convince ourselves that we “do Christmas” better than others and have a “holier than thou” attitude as well.

We may also celebrate the holidays as a past event, recalling shepherds and angels, wise men and a star; envisioning a manger with a child, softly crying. We become nostalgic for the time when the message was “Peace on earth and goodwill toward men” and feelings of holiness come over us as we imagine ourselves observers of the holy birth.

However we do things during the holidays and bathe ourselves in religious feelings, we begin the New Year and soon realize that we and the world in which we live are still missing some important ingredient, that the promise and expectation which were part of the holidays are unfulfilled. We become aware that either we were deceived or we deceived ourselves. What we hoped for and that which we received were very different. Problems, crises, personal and community needs still disrupt our lives. We sense that resolving our present problems, whatever they might be, will still leave us with other conflicts, stress, and worries. Peace and goodwill are as ephemeral as Santa Claus.

One of our well known songs, yet one which we would never sing as a Christmas Carol, provides direction for our consideration. In the Battle Hymn of the Republic, Julia Ward Howe brings together in the fourth verse the themes of the birth of Christ, holiness, and our response. ” …Christ was born across the sea, … with a glory… that transfigures you and me, … he died to make men [us] holy,” Jesus transfigures us, changes and transforms us, into what?

We are transfigured and made holy. Holy means being set apart for God, reserved for God, such as holy prophets and holy angels. What Jesus brings to God at Christmas, but not just Christmas alone, is us as holy people.

The gifts which Christmas celebrates are not the gold, frankincense and myrrh, the star, the song of the angels, or the babe lying in a manger, but we are the gift, presented to God by Jesus! Celebrating Christmas is not about a holy night, nor a holy star, but rejoicing in the holiness of the people of the world, our becoming the people of God.

Whereas our becoming holy my fill us with awe, Julia Ward Howe’s suggested response fills us with fear. We usually alter the words to, “let us live to make men free,” rather than sing in the words she wrote, “let us die to make men free.”. We recoil at death, and since dying and holiness are inextricably mixed we prefer to go on living as we lived before in our dying world. We don’t want to be holy because of the change involved and the response we must make.

We learned as children that Christmas was for us, and letting go of that is as difficult as getting rid of Santa. We still want what we want, and our own needs and our own interests dominate us. However, we have already begun the difficult transformation. Though we still like to hear , “What would you like for Christmas?” many of us find it easier to ask it of others rather than answer when it is asked of us. Glory to God! We are headed in the direction of becoming holier! Becoming “holy” is letting go of self interest and pursuing Godliness and the interests of others. Jesus is described as “The man for others”; Holy.

The apostle Paul implores us to do this in the 12th chapter of Romans: I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect. (NRSV)

A final word, Jesus shows us that to “die” is to “live” and we are correct in the spirit Julia Ward Howe’s intention when we sing “live” if we let our self interests die and live for others. The world does not need more greed, pride, and self interest, it certainly needs to become holier, now.

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Rod Koopmans <> St. Croix Reformed Church