Christmas day will be here soon, and millions of people are scurrying in many different directions preparing for its arrival.
If you’re tempted to get caught up into the hustle and bustle that often attends holiday celebrations, perhaps stop for a moment and remember that the real purpose of Christmas is not to indulge the senses, but to celebrate the gift of Spirit in the form of Christ which is here to save us from the pains and pleasures of the senses.
Christmastime is not intended to be a party of material sense but a celebration of spiritual sense! Spiritual sense is what keeps us connected to Christ and experiencing the saving power of Truth and Love at work in our life.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote,
“I celebrate Christmas with my soul, my spiritual sense, and so commemorate the entrance into human understanding of the Christ conceived of Spirit, of God and not of a woman — as the birth of Truth, the dawn of divine Love breaking upon the gloom of matter and evil with the glory of infinite being” (Miscellany, p. 262).
True Christmas is a time of peace, equanimity, dominion, calm, quiet with God, inspiration from on high, Christ-healing and boundless love.
Let the Spirit of God, rather than the spirit of the world, guide your preparations this year, and fill each day with the peace of God that signifies the real reason for the season.
Thank you, Evan, for pointing out what we should be truly doing at Christmas time!
I read this and a big red light came on in my head! How easy it is to get tied up in material preparations for the Christmas period.
The spiritual awareness of the Christ in our lives is so much more necessary to become conscious of…..so much more to share…so much more to celebrate! And it’s permanently there for everyone. Excellent start to the week Evan, Thank you …the Christ is holding my hand as I’m working through amber to the green of tranquility….❣️
So helpful. X
This is beautiful and heartfelt Evan. Thank you!
Growing in understanding with Christian Science has been a blessing and this Christmas season has allowed me to show my understanding.
Though I continue to be physically in a recovery mode with my mobility an ongoing challenge, it has given me an opportunity to grow spiritually and my surroundings reflect that.
I wanted to be ready for my precious grandchildren to arrive to a home of peace and comfort.
Though there are gifts under a fragrant tree adorned with homemade ornaments, they are eager to hear the story of the birth of Jesus while checking out our Nativity scene we lovingly display.
I am grateful to have been able to rally my son and husband to assist me in my quest to have our home flow with peace, harmony, and orderliness so the presence of the Holy Spirit would be felt my my entire family and they in turn can share that as they go about their activities outside the home.
By preparing early I feel free to spend my days in prayer, gratitude, and HOPE❣️
I love SpiritView and all who come here to share their thoughts.
Happy day❣️
Preparing for Christmas:
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/ueykv69u2y?s=e
JOY TO THE WORLD
Christmas does not deny sorrow its place in the world.
But the message of Christmas is that joy is bigger than
despair, that peace will outlast turmoil, that love has
crushed all evil, hatred, and pain that the world, at its
worst, can muster. Randall L, Frame
According to Jesus, it is God’s will that His children be
filled with the joy of life. Catherine Marshall
These can be taken as marching orders, “…joy is bigger
than despair…” and that His children be filled with the
joy of life.
Joy. Delight, triumph, jubilation, pleasure, happiness
Joy is bigger than despair, and His children be filled with the joy of life
This Christmas let’s give joy
Melissa Baker
Remember Christmas is every day
Thank you Melissa for sharing these lovely words. They do resonate with me at this difficult time of year.
Thank you Evan for a different outlook on the Christmas celebration and for sharing all your SpiritViews with the world today and everyday.
I will go forward and give JOY.
Thank you Melissa
Love your quotes, Melissa. Thank you for sharing!
What a gift is SpiritView! Thank you Evan and all who share their thoughts. I loved the Journal article and also the statement that “every day is Christmas.” Every day our Father Mother God gives us blessings that we can use to live elevate our thoughts and recognize the presence of the Christ in our lives and those of our brothers and sisters who share this planet with us.
Thank you Evan—I agree with previous commentator
Spiritview is a gift! !
Peace on earth , good will towards towards all !
This is a perfect message for me today, thank you Evan. There are 6 children who are family members that I need to buy holiday gifts for. I feel very stuck this year, coming up completely blank as to what to give — usually just pick out some toys or send a check or a gift card.
Been praying about it. I need to see this whole gift idea more spiritually. These children are children of God, giving and receiving only joy. I love them, how can this best be expressed? They are expressions of the one Mind and so am I. I don’t need to get stressed out and caught up in the materiality of “the right gift” sent on “time” and also with some sense of guilt for having missed the birthday of 2 of them earlier in the year and feeling I have to make up for it with an extra special holiday gift. I am trusting God to show me how to proceed, looking at it from a higher perspective.
God is the gift and the giver.
I love that Rose❣️
God is the gift and the giver.
My son already gave me his gift~a rose plant.
Thank you for once again putting Christmas into proper perspective. Barbra Vining’s article was helpful, too. It takes special effort to research and provide those articles on the days subject.
Every elevating thought expressed here is a genuine help. A Christmas gift fron all contributers.
Praying through that special day, looking for the Christ child’s blessing, and finding it.
Merry Christmas to all! Thank you for this gift!
I love writing out Christmas cards this year, which I have not done in a long time. Each card brought me to wishing the person all that is good. And holding them steadfastly in my thoughts and knowing the truth about them. Here’s hoping all joy to those who are here on line each morning and your families. Love to all.
Thanks for sharing spirituality of sending Christmas cards -greatly appreciated.
Beautiful! Hit the nail on the head! I like this idea of really finding the spiritual feast of Christmas!
Thanks Evan and those commenting. I have always liked this article, finding it fresh, humorous, and inspired.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/2003/12/105-50/reality-check-in-aisle-14
Hi Curran, Is it possible to send a link which works for those of us not currently subscribing to jhs online? We need humor during this season! Tks!
This should work.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1uxq79vv4vc?s
Thank you very much Trista, it works perfectly!♡
Hi Curran, as I do not subscribe to the CS Journal, I not either can open the link you sent us!
Or could anyone help us please?
Dear Evan, I am very grateful for your spiritual views on how to celebrate the real Christmas, namely to celebrate the gift of Spirit in the form of Christ which is here to save us from the pains and pleasures of the senses. Yes, wonderful, to celebrate the healing Christ which came into the world through Christ Jesus. Jesus tought the healing Christ in the language and understanding of his time and Mrs. Eddy teaches through Science and Health and her other writings in the understanding and language of our time. I am grateful for the Bible and SH and for the Chrstian Science Church, who are explaining us the healing Christ. Our Church i s the Christ!
Thank you for the links to the articles and thank you all for your wonderful comments, which are giving me a lot!
Thank you for the sweet article. It means much to me right mow as i too am getting ready for family.
Now i will be sure im getting the right things ready!
So beautifully expressed Evan. Thank you.
Thank you so much for today’s blog, Evan. This year, especially, is a time to keep the “noise” of the world out and let in only spiritual ideas and spiritual sense.
I’ve always been a bit of a Scrooge – disliking Christmas and just waiting for it to get over. This year I was divinely led to this awesome, helpful lecture our dear Evan gave a few years ago. It has helped me more than anything to have a more inspired sense of Christmas and help with a challenge I’m working out. I can’t begin to recount the inspirations I’ve gleaned from taking in the ideas shared! Blessed Christmas everyone and great thanks to Third Church New York City! See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FCN3b0bjUo&feature=youtube or https://thirdchurchnyc.com/2020lecturearchive/
Thank you, Evan, for sharing the need to share the Christ spirit rather than stress over traditional activities. Over the last many years, I’ve been ables to “emerge gently” from the many dictates of the commercial season, by lessoning the number of gifts purchased, requesting donations from family to groups like Kiva which bless others, replacing Santa decorations with those of the nativity and. peace. This year the new sign I made is the quote from Ps. 16:11 “In Your Presence is Fullness of Joy” in gold letters. This Christmas, may we all experience the indescribable peace and joy of the acceptance of the Christ in our hearts and share it with others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_DxNpW1kHQ
This came to me as I was reading your wonderful inspiration. Hopefully this will open for everyone.
It’s a very popular song and sung in churches. “Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me”
It brought tears to my eyes as I was listening to it.
Thank you again Evan for your dedication this daily blog!!!!
This song is in our new hymnal. I was singing it the other day as I read through the hymnal.
I’ve always loved Ray Coniff and his band. He made a Christmas CD and there is a line I think about “…but when you are giving your presents, don’t forget to give them away… For the real meaning of Christmas is the giving of love everyday. Ray Coniff is a Christian Scientist.
When I first started serious study, Christmas was something I had to think about a lot,
I started by giving gifts to the truth about people, I also had to think it wasn’t the date, which no one truly knows of the birth of Jesus, but the gratitude for gospels, the truth shared.
I found sometimes my nephews would wonder at my gifts I chose but their parents said they played and played with them. I was on to something; honoring the light that is them with a gift to that light.
Evan, thank you for the gift of Spirit View which is often the saving grace in my life.
Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas.
Thank you, Evan, for your daily springboard of ideas which meets our needs with love and growth. We do so very much appreciate your dedication!
Thank you for all the contributors who make this a community of sharing CS blessings.
This is Love in action.
Merry Christmas to everyone!