If Jesus is the reason for the season, what does our attitude toward and during the season say about our perspective on Jesus?

The first of today's selections, Jackson Browne's "Rebel Jesus", comes "borrowed" from the Progressive Islam blog. Hey, if someone else has a great insight, why not share it? (as long as you pass along the credit too...)



All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
As the sky darkens and freezes
They’ll be gathering around the hearths and tales
Giving thanks for all God’s graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus

Well they call him by the prince of peace
And they call him by the savior
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
As they fill his churches with their pride and gold
And their faith in him increases
But they’ve turned the nature that I worshiped in
From a temple to a robbers den
In the words of the rebel Jesus

We guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why they are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus

But please forgive me if I seem
To take the tone of judgment
For I’ve no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In this life of hardship and of earthly toil
We have need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus.

I chose second selection, "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon, because I think is a good follow-up:



So this is Christmas
And what have you done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

A merry merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so happy Christmas (War is Over...)
For weak and for strong (...if you want it)
The rich and the poor ones (War is Over...)
The road is so long (...now)
And so happy Christmas (War is Over...)
For black and for white (...if you want it)
For yellow and red ones (War is Over...)
Let's stop all the fights (...now)

A merry merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear

And so this is Christmas (War is over...)
And what have we done (...if you want it)
Another year over (War is Over...)
And a new one just begun (...now)
And so happy Christmas (War is Over...)
We hope you have fun (...if you want it)
The near and the dear ones (War is Over...)
The old and the young (...now)

A merry merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now

Happy Christmas!

The point is not to try to put a guilt trip on anyone. Many people don't need help with that anyway. The holidays can generate a lot of tension and distress. People may feel that they have let down their friends, or relatives, or ideals, that they haven't done enough for their community, their religion, or themselves. Or they may feel others have let them down. They may feel disconnected, insufficient, or be in some other form of spiritual [=nature of the interconnectedness of life]crisis. One may wonder, "What can I offer?" or "What can I do?"

That question is the reason for the third and final selection, "Little Drummer Boy" written and composed by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone. This is as close to the version I used to listen to as a child as I was able to find online...



Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Merry Christmas.