A Call for Faith All Year Long

I share some of Dana Parsons’ concern about the survey findings that even Christians do not associate Christ’s birth with the quintessential event of Christmas (Column, Dec. 11).

In agreement with Charlotte Prather and with Parsons’ concluding sentences, it is even more troubling that Christmas has become (even keeping it within “Christian” circles) far less a commemoration of the coming of Christ, with all the implications of loving the “unlovable,” and more an occasion for lavishing “love” (i.e., material goods) on people who need everything but more goodies.

However, Christmas itself, even rightly commemorated, does not provide many of the essential articles or actions of faith.

Everything from Christ’s Epiphany (being revealed or made known) to the events of the Passion (Holy Week, including crucifixion and resurrection) to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost fills in the blanks for active, faithful Christianity.

Indeed, our Christmastime frenzy is a joke . . . yet there is a certain spirit of generosity and love (or perhaps at least compulsion to care for others). Food pantry shelves are full for now. Homeless and the naked have food and clothing, from Thanksgiving until Super Bowl Sunday.

But what about Christ’s call to care for “the least of these” year round? The church buildings are filled on Christmas Eve . . . but check out those same churches just five days later! Where have all the “Christians” gone? Where is the spirit of Jesus Christ the rest of the year? Where is the power of 88% of the country to display compassion both here and abroad?

This troubles me far more than the evidence that most people don’t seem to put Christ first on the 25th of December.

REV. PETER K. MUSCHINSKE

Orange