A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away.
~Eva Logue

Christmas is not a date.  It is a state of mind.  ~Mary Ellen Chase

Beloved friends, Merry Christmas…..not just for a day, but for a lifetime!!!

What about Christmas makes us long for a certain something… we don’t quite know what…but which we do not miss as much the rest of the year? What is it about this time of the year that makes love abound even more plentiful than the gifts under the tree? What makes us believe in Angels and Santa, in fir trees and tinsel stars, in Christmas carols and mistletoe? What makes us count our blessings, and be in gratitude? What makes us smile, what makes us sing?

Why does December bring with it palpable joy? Why is forgiveness easier at this time of the year? Why do strangers stop to greet each other? Why is a handshake replaced by a hug? Why do the sounds of bells bring a catch to the throat?

Surely all of this cannot be attributed to the birth of one Radiant Soul!! Whether you consider him a man or the Son of God, the energy that pervades the world, year after year, and century after century, is too vast and too powerful to be released by one event, however earth-shattering it might be.

Today our Gentle Shepherd symbolizes neither the mediocrity of a ‘man’ nor the unattainable glory of the Son of God. Jesus was born not for us to look up to and worship in blind adoration. This Star illumined for us all, the Christ that resides within each of us.

Those who believe that Jesus was ‘merely a man’ are urged to acknowledge the greatness that man can attain. Those who affirm that he was the Son of God are beckoned to be conscious of their own god-hood. If you look up to Jesus but condemn your human-ness, for you Jesus had lived in vain.   If you adore Jesus but can find nothing within you worthy of celebration, for you Jesus had died in vain. If you love the Beloved Master, but cannot manifest the mastery that is yours, for you Jesus has not resurrected. 

Christmas today is not about one man, one star, one Son of God. It is about all men, a galaxy of stars and the children of God. The Christmas tree is so beautifully representative of our spiritual evolution, for though it spreads out wide at the bottom, with its branches seemingly separate, its higher boughs come closer together, and unite into a joyous Angel that stands atop victoriously.

And this Angel is you…this Angel is the reason why Jesus took birth…this Angel is the Christ Consciousness that you celebrate each year. Someone has said: if there was no Christmas, it would be necessary to invent one. And so true!!! For we need a time in the year to remember who we are, to celebrate joyously our Light, and to re-ignite our radiance. That certain something that brings a catch to our throat and a tear of joy to our eyes, is the memory of our True Consciousness, for the Soul cannot forget its Home, nor Energy its Source.

This year as your lips sing forth the praises of our Lord, let your heart rapturously ring out the glories of YOU. If you celebrate this day as the birth of the Beloved One, remember that there is no greater gift you can bring to him, than an acknowledgement of your own honour. As you gather around that Christmas tree, experience the spirit of the World Family, for Master Jesus loved not only dearest Mary and Joseph, but you and I who know him only in our hearts and souls.

Christmas is truly witness to the fact that time and space are but ephemeral when confronted by the powerful reality of Love, for that energy that radiated over 2000 years ago is stronger today than it ever was. It lives in your deep prayer for peace, it breathes in your strong concern for the welfare of Mother Earth, it emanates to all through your healing touch.

In trying to cram everything into one day, we are unable to savour the fragrance and eternal spirit of Christmas. Beloved friend, you can celebrate Christmas whenever you wish, each day if your heart should so desire.  No, Christmas is certainly not a date….it is a state of Love for Self, Honour for Self, Joy of Self…. And Self starts as a spark within you and becomes a warm glow that envelops all.

This year as you decorate the tree, let each delicate ornament be an aspect of you that you lovingly acknowledge and honour upon that tree. Dedicate your favourite Christmas carol to yourself. Have an extra helping of Christmas cake to celebrate your birth… you will not add inches to your waist, only joy to your heart.

This year as you take down the decorations, and carefully store them for another year, let the memory of each ornament of your glory etch indelible lines in your consciousness.

This year celebrate Christmas….over and over again… sometimes as Santa, sometimes as the Angel, sometimes as the lilting carol….and always as the Living Energy of Christ Consciousness.