“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
These are the words written by Thomas Paine, one of the Founding Fathers, in December of 1776. He was referring, of course, to the crisis during the American Revolution, but it could well apply to the Christmas of 2020, 244 years later.
There is no doubt that the Christmas holiday will be quite different for many this year, and not necessarily in a positive way. COVID-19 is responsible for that.
A number of families will be forced to forego their traditional get-togethers or cut them back to a large degree. Churches, already hit hard by restrictions causing reduced attendance and giving, will not be holding their normal candlelight services on Christmas Eve or other special yuletide gatherings that have highlighted the holiday in years past. Visiting and caroling with shut-ins as well as hospital and nursing home patients and others in need of a little cheer will be reduced substantially or cancelled all together. Parties and ceremonies of all sorts will also not be held.
Because shopping is way down, Santa’s visits and gift giving will be curtailed somewhat.
The fear of contracting the coronavirus or spreading it to others and the restrictions put in place to fight it, have contributed to this bleak picture.
But wait a minute. There is no way COVID-19 can take away the real meaning of Christmas that we all can celebrate no matter how much these times try our souls. The birth of Jesus Christ on that first Christmas morning continues to be the shining moment for all humankind, no matter how difficult life becomes. No virus or pandemic can blot out the star that led shepherds and Wise Men to the manger in Bethlehem and continues to lead all people to the truth and grace of salvation.
So celebrate Christmas in your hearts this season even if you aren’t able to do it in the traditional way.
Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful employees, and to our advertisers, subscribers and readers!