ERIC BUTTERWORTH PAPERS (3014)
BOX 25 FOLDER 23
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 25,1988
-INTRO-
IT’S CHRISTMAS MORNING, fHOW GOOD THAT YOU COULD FIND THE TIME^AND FEEL THE COMMITMENT^) JOIN US HERE IN AVERY FISHER HALL, fYOU HAVE BROUGHT SOMETHING SPEC IAL/WHICH ADDS TO THE CONSCIOUSNESS TO WHICH it/S GIVE/AND FROM WHICH YOU WILL SURELY REEKS E./ YOU HAV? PROBABLY HAD YOUR FESTIVITY OF CHRISTMAS MORNING,/THE OPENING OF GIFTS,/AND THE EXCHANGES OF LOVE TO THOSE IN YOUR HOMELAND PERHAPS BY PHONE/TO THOSE ACROSS THE CITY OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY./ AND PERHAPS YOU NOW FEEL JH|J WARM AND MELLOW SENSE/OF BEING LOVED AND BLESSED.
AND NOW...IN THE AFTERGLOW OF CHRISTMAS MORNING/
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PONDER THE MEANING/ANO EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL DEPTH OF THE CHRISTMAS MAGIC:
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FOR CHRISTMAS
1 12/25/88
D<*Wr	A
A NOSTALGIC LONGfc^ TO RE
TURN TO THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE ROOTS,/TO SHARE RENEWED FOLLOWSHIP WITH FAMILY,/TO SIT AROUND THE WARM AND FRIENDLY TABLE./TO GATHER AROUND THE HEARTH OF A FIREPLACE CRACKLING WITH SPARK AND SPIRIT. / OF COURSE,/FOR MANY OF US,/THBE IS
back/except
OF OfHER CHRISTMAS TIMES.
/•HOME FOR CHRISTMAS'! -- TO MAY PERSONS THIS MAY
mean/gathering WITH THOSE WITH WHOM WE SHARE
COMMON IDEALS AND VALUES/..SUCH AS THIS SUNDAY MEETING IN AVERY FISHER HALL./ SO MANY PBBSONS TELL US THAT THEY HAVE A FEELING OF COMING HOM^EACH riME THEY JOIN IN THIS SUNDAY EXPERIENCE OF CREATIV WORTHSHIP. / WE ARE GLAD ABOUT THAT...AND WE JOY-OSLY WELCOME YOU 0OME ON THIS GLORIOUS CHRISTMAS MORNING.
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NoME FOR CHRISTMAS -/lN OUR STUDY OF TRUTH^WE COME TO KNOW AND TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH/TH*f IDEA THAT THERE IS A DEPTH WITHIN US,)a PLACE OF TRANSCEN-IENCE. ^JESUS CALLED IT 'THE INNERtCHAMBER' ,/AND AT ANY TIME WE CAN PAUSE AND BE STILL AND ENTER IN,/AND AS JESUS SAID, 'PRAY TO THE FATHER IN SECRET#' / IT IS COMING HOME TO OUR INWARD CENTER/ '...AND THE FATHER WHO SEETH IN SECRET WILL REWARD YOU OPENLY.'/ WE REALIZE THAT THERE IS A DEPTH WI THRALL THINGS AND EXPERIENCES,/.. .KNOWING THIS TODAY IS TO GET A SENSE OF THE REAL CHRISTMAS OF THE HEART./IT IS HAVING A QUIET TIME OF MEDITATION /ON THE CHRIST OF OUR OWN INNER BEING,/ AND TO REEXPERIENCE A BIRTH OF THE SON-OF-GOD SELF WITHIN.
NOW LET US LISTEN TO THE TIMELESS WORDS OF SCRIP-TURE/THAT SET THE STAGE FOR THE FIRST CHRISTMAS/ THOSTLONG YEARS AGO...
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(lUkFTT 8-14]
. TRENDY*-
S l£N574t(A^ACRtf4CE-aWt WARMTH AN8=R+GHNESS OF L ANGU AGE/lN—TRYING" TO A OH IFVF—AH- ACCURACY OF
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OIIRIOTMAS STORY/,
THE-"WASH.'
'AND THERE WERE IN THE SAME COUNTRY SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELD, KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT. AND, LO, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME UPON THEM, AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHUNE ROUND ABOUT THEM: AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID.
AND (HE ANGEL SAID IBXINEMK UNTO THEM, FEAR NOT: FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE.1 FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOUR, WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD. AND THIS SHALL BE A SIGN UNTO YOU; YE SHALL FIND BHE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES, LYING IN A MANGER. AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS WITH THE ANGEL A MULTITUDE OF THE H8AVENLY HOST PRAISING GOD, AND SAYING, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN.'
AND SO THE SHEPHERDS IN THE FIELD CAME HOME CHRISTMAS!
FOR
AND THE SBfF- ACCOUNT IN MATTHEW 2: 1,2, 9-11
NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN IN BETHLEHAM...WIBE-MEN CAME FROM THE EAST, SAYING. WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE’JEWS, FfiR WE SAW HIS STAR IN THE EAST, AND ARE COME TO WORSHIP HIM...AND THE
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STAR...WENT BEFORE 1HFM, TILLfr IT CAME AND STOOD OVER WHERE THE YOUNG CHILD WAS. AND WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR, TBEY REJOICED WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY. AND THEY CAME INTO THE HOUSE AND SWW THE YOUNG CHILD WITH MARY HIS MOTHER; AND ETHEY FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPPED HIM; AND OPENING THEIR TREASURES THEY OFFERED UNTO HIM GIFTS, GOLD AND FRANKINCENSE AND
MYRRH.'
SO THEIWJ_SE KMjN CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.*
►JESUS PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON/lS AN INTEBESTIN STORY OF PERSONAL GROWTH./ THE PRODIGAL GOING OUT INTO IHE 'FAR COUNTRY'/REPRESENTS ALL OF US IN THE STAGES OF LIFE/wHER E WE LI EE AT THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF BEING,/WITH OUR INTERESTS AND ASPIRA-TlONS/CBNTERED IN THINGS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OUT THERE.'/ BUT WE CANNOT LIVE BY MATERIAL AND SENSUAL .THINGS ALONE,/AND WE COME TO KNOW WANT,/WHICH MEANS WE BECOME AWARE/THAT INHERE IS MORE TO LIFE TH6N THIS. / THE STORY^S, HOT TO I IKON WANT ^fADMI[TTED TO HIMSELF THAT OF HIMSELF HE COULDN’’ FIND FULFILLMENT./ HE RESOLVED TO TAKE CHARGE OF
HIS LIFEt./.HE ’CAME TO HIMSELF’. IN OTHER WORDS HE CAME HOME. THIS DIDN’T MEAN GOING ANYWHERE
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GEOGRAPH I CAL^TSttEL. 'I WILL ARISE AND GO UNTO THE FATHER’, HE SAID. BUT THE FATHER IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITHIN. HE WOKE UP. ^THE ANCIENT CHINESE COMPASS/FROM WHICH ALL MODERN SYSTEMS OF NAVIGATION EVOLVED/. .ORIGINAILY EXBKXEB HAD FJVE POINTS INSTEAD OF FOUR./ THERE WAS /WESTXANDEAST^AND NORTH AND SOUTH./. AND A FIFTH ONE: WHERE YOU ARE./ THE PRODIGAL WOKE UP TO WHERE HE WAS/AND WHO HE WAS./ UNTIL WE KNOW WHO WE ARE,/WE ARE FOREVER ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE KINGDOM./REDUCED TO LOOKING IN A WINDOW./ MUCH PRAYER AND WORSHIP IS LITTLE MORE THAN WINDOW-PEEMNG./ IT IS SIGNIFICANT IN THE PARABLE./THAT WHIEH HE TURNED TOWARD HOME/’THE FATHER CAME FORTH TO MEET HIM.'/ WHEN WE TURN TO GOD/THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH GOD TURNS TOWARD US./ BUT WHEN WE OPEN OURSELF TO THE FLOW,/IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE
ALLNESS/OF GOD'S SUBSTANCE AND LIFE AND LOVE/ARE MOBILIZED AS OUR UNFOLDING RESOURCE/ACTUALLY IT
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IS ALWAYS THE FATHER'S GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM',/BUT WHEN WE REFOCUS OURSELVES ON THA INNER CENTER,/THE 'ALWAYS' OF THE INNER PROCESS, BECOMES THE IMMINENCES OF ITS ACTIVITY/.AND WE EXPERIENCE A DYNAMIC FLOW OF ABUNDANCE ./CHARACTERIZED AS RINGS ON OUR FINGERS,/ROBES Of/OUR SHOULDBS /ND THERE IS A KILL-THE-FATTED-CALF CELEBRATION IN OUR BEHALF./ AND WE ARE IMBUED WITH POWER/..
THE POWER OF SELF-DI SCI PLINE./.WE HAVE THEtPOWER TO SAY 'NO!’/TO THE IMPULSESIANDHCOMPULSIONS OF THE HUMAN SELF./ IT IS LIKE/AFTER YEARS OF ADDICTION TO TELEVISION./SUDDENLY WAKING UP TO THE
realization/that YOU CAN DEVELOP skill/in THE
CREATIVE ART OF USING THE 'OF/' SWITCH.
WE COULD SAY THAT* CHRISTMAS FOR MOST PERSONS/IS A 'FAR COUNTRY EXPERIENCE'./THAT IS A SHOCKING THING TO' SAY*/ BUT JUST LOOK AT US./ WE NAY GO
06{A/t cmuTM/n
THROUGH JHE MOTIONS OF ttffftmTWAOn-On^rPWMif^
YEAR AFTER YEAR...
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WE	GLORIOUS	TREES,/AND PLAY AND SING THE
LOVELY CAROLS,/AND EXCHANGE CARDS AND GIFTS./ BUT HOVI OFTEN WE BECOME SO PREOCCUPIED IN DO ING CHRISTMAS/THAT WE FORGET WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT/
THE LOVELY SYMBOLS AND LEGENDS OF CHRISTMAS POINT TO SOMETHING VERY PERSONAL,/THE AWAKENING OF THE SON-OF-GOD SELF IN THE HEART OF US./ AS THE ORIENTAL SAYING GOES,/’ THE TEACHER POINTS TO THE TRUTH, THE STUDENT WORSHIPS THE POINTER.’
WLET ME SAY,/I BELIEVE IN CHRISTMAS,/AND I NEVERF
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FIND IT DIFFI CULT /TO ERECT Tllf 1~ AfADE YEAR AFTER YEAR,/OR TO ENGAGE IN THE FULL BDOAD RANGE OF MW* CHRISTMAS MAGIC./ BUT FOR ME./THE REASON INVOLVE-COMES EASY/IS THT I REMIND MYSELF/THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SO MUCH DEEPER,/RlCHER,/AND MORE TiSANS
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CENDENT/TH§AN THE	REVEALS.
rAS THE MEDIEVAL MYSTIC POET, 1ANGELUS SlLESlU$
SAYS,/’THOUGH CHRIST A THOUSAND TIMES IN BETHLEHEM BE BORN,/IF HE’S NOT BORN IN THEE,y
1HT SOUL IS ALL rORLORNo-
THUS EVEN THOUGH WE GET INVOLVED IN A LAVISH OBSERVANCE OF CHRISTMAS./.IT IS IMPORTANT TO 'COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS'. £
WE READ FOR YOU THE GOSPEL(ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST C HR ISTMAS/l N THE LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM LONG YEARS AGO./ BECAUSE THIS IS ALL WE HAVEiTO GO Ot/, THERE ARE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS/..SOME THAT MUSTHFOREVER REMAIN UNANSWERABLE./AS STUDENTS OF
TRUTH/WE MUST BE MATURE ENOUGH/TO DEAL WITH T»r
FACT THAT THAT Tlir WO!r CHR I STMAS ^ORY/HAS KXB
EVOLVED OUT OFjIfEGENDS THAT WElfHIGHLY I DIAL I ZED/ THROUGH THE PASSING CENTURIES...AND THERE IS
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PROBABLY LITTLE THAT IS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE./WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT JESUS' BIRTH,/OR THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING IT./ THE GOSPELS OF MABTHEW AND LUKE,/THE ONLY ONES THAT GIVE THE LENGENDS OF CHRISTMAS,/BOTH DREW HEAVILY ON THE GOSPEL OF
MARK/IN RECONSTRUCTING THE STORY A WHOLE GENERATIO LATER./ AND STRANGLEY MARK DOESN'T MENTION THE
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NATIVITY LEGENDS AT ALL./ ALSO STRANGE IS THE FACT /THAT MATTHEW GIVES THE LEGEND OF THE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST/AND LUKE THE STORY OF THE SiCEPHERDS IN THE FIELD/RECOUNTING THE SATIE STORY FROM MEMORY MANY YEARS LATER.
^AND THERE IS THE LEGEND OFjMARY AND JOSEPIl/RIDING INTO BETHLEHEM ON A DONKEY./.AND 'THERE WAS NO ROOM IN THE INN,'/sO SHE HEAVE BIRTH TO HER FIRSTBORN soi/and laid him in a mTanger.
SO MANY SERMONS HAVE BEEN PREACHE /ABOUT THE INNKEEPER WHO HAS BECOME/UHE CLASSIC SYMBOL OF THE CRUEL,([HARD-HEARTED,/MATER IALISTIC MERCHANT,/WHO COULBN'T FIND ROOM FOR THE 'BIRTH'
OF A KING./ ACTUALLY THAT SUPPOSED 'INN' WAS NO HOWARD JOHNSON MOTEL^TO BE FOUND ON THF HIGHWAY
IT WAS LITTLEjMORE THAN A PROTECTIVE ENCLAVES KHAN
WHERE TRAVELERS COULDSFIND REFUGE/FROM THE PERILS
OF WILD ANIMALS AND THIEVES. 'UTTLE MORE THAN A CIRCLING OF THE WAGONS BY EARLY PIONEERS/AS
PROTECTION AGAINST THE MARAUDING INDIANS.
BUT MARY AND JOSEPH FOUND REFUGE IN A CAVE IN THE
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NEAR8Y HILLS,/QUITE POSSIBLY LED THERE BY THE VERY INNKEEPER WHO*HAS|.FOR SO LONG BEEN PILLORI ED /AS CRUEL AND HARD-HEARTED.
HT IS REALLY NOT ALL THAT IMPORTANT WHEN JESUS .WAS BORN...EVEN WHERE/ HE DID NOT COME TO PROCLAIM
I	^
HIMSELF./BUT TO CELEBRATE THE GOD-POSSIBILITY WITHIN EVERY PERSON. /HE WAS NOT TRYING TO TELL US OF Hi$ DIVINITY,/MAKING HJM THE GREAT EXCEPTION ../.BUT TO TELLlUS OFiOUR DIVINIT1/4SHOWING US THAT IN HIStOVERCOMING/THERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF IHE 'I AM'/REACHING IJS FULL PERSONAL EXPRESSION IN MAN.
TiHUS-tTHEt GREAT EVENT IN THE LIFE OF JESUS A<AS NOT HIS BIRTH AT ALL,/BUT THE AWAKENING THAT TOOK PLACE WITHIN HIM/DURING THE BYEARS OFtUIS GROWTy. THE DISCOVERY OF THE DIVINE DIMENSION WITHIN HIM/
INIIS IN 41.1 OF US.
LOOKING AT THE NATIVITY STORY/FROM A METAPHYSICAL OR PERSONALLY SYMBOLIC SENSE,/ME SEE THAT IT IS THE STORY OF THE BIRTH INTO CONSCIOUSNESS/OF THE IDEA OF THE CHRIST OR DIVINE IDENTITY.
►	THE BIBLE HAS TWO GREAT MESSAGES:/THE INVOLUTION OF THE GOD-MAN {FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESKS^/MAN CREATED IN GOD'S IMAGE-LIKENESS./AND EVOLUTION. THE PROGRESSIVE UNFOLDING OF THIS GOD-POTENTIAL
IN HUMAN EXPERIENCE./ AN INTERESTING STUDY IS TO BE MADE OF THEjEVOLVING PROCESS/AS REVEALED THROUGH THE BIBLE STORIES/AND THE METAPHYSICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES AND PLACES./ THE WHOLE
bible story,/Revealed in a nut-shfll in jesus':
Us Hi cm
PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON,/® 'THEEVOLUTION OR COMING HOME OF EVERYMAN. / AND AS MOSES AND THE ISRAEL I WES FOUND,/IT IS A LONG WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND.
►	WE ARE TOLD’ ’IT IS NOT YET MANIFEST WHAT MAN SHALL BE.'/ Mfflfcil^-flOAIE-JWROUSH-^^
THE RACE OF MAN HAS GONE THROUGH MANY STAGES,/BUT THE NEXT STAGE IS THE SEEP UPWARD INTO COfSMIC
CONSCIOUSNESS. / [TEILHARD) CALLS IT 'THE OMEGA POINT
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OF TIME./'IT IS HELPFUL IN UNDERSTANDING THE JESUS'NSSSI ON./ JESUS DISCOVERED AND DEMONSTRATED THE CHRIST POTENTIAL ./WHICH ACCELERATED THE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS FOR ALL PERSONS./ IT WAS A* IMPORTANT BREAKTHROUGH./FOR IT GAVE MEANING AND DIRECTION FOR OUR ETERNAL ONGOING./ AND IT MADE TH CHRIST POTENTIAL/BELIEVABLE AND ACHIEVABLE.
IN A METAPHORIC SENS^JESUS REVEALED TO ALL OF US/THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY BUTTERFLIES IN THE MAKING. HOWEVER BY AND LARGE HIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN IGNORED, AND RELIGIONS HAVE INSISTED THAT WE ARE LOWLY WOROS. THAT ONLY JESUS IS A BUTTERFLY.
WHENlfHE ANGEL FIRST APPEARED TO THE SHEPHERDS IN THE FIELD, THEIR FIRST REACTION WAS, ’THEY WERE
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SORE AFRAID.'/lN OTHER WORDS,/IN HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS, /lT SEEMED TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. THIS IS THE TRAGEDY OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS./.WE THINK A GOOD THING IS TOO GOfiP XOjlE TRUf.^BUT TROUBLE NEVER SURPRISES US./WE MAY REGRET IT,/BUT WE DO NOT THINK IT IS TOO tftD TO BE TRUE. /...BECAUSE WE# HAVE A CAfTERPILLAI^CONSCIOUSNESS. THE ANGEL, OUR STILL SMALL VOICE WITHIN/TELLS US OF BUTTERFLIES/ BUT WE ARE SORE AFRAID.
THE ANGEL SAID, 'FEAR NOT./.FOR I BRING YOU GREAT TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY.'/ SUDDENLY THEY SAID 'YES' TO THE BNGEL OR INNER 2GUI DANCE,/AND THERE BROKE OUT HEAVENLY MUSIC./. IT IS ALWIYS PRESENTS T?l ft //SO THE SHEPHERDS WENT AND FOUN^HE PLACEE^HERE NK THE4YOUG CHILD LAY/AND THEY REIURNED GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD/FOR ALL THEY HAD HEARD AND SEEN/ THUS WE ACCEPT THE IDEA OF OUR DIVINE IDENTITY,
IN FAITH AND FEELING.
IN THE STORY OF THE WISE MEN,/VlE HAVE A SYMBOL OF OUR INTELLECT,/THE WAY OF LOGIC AND REASON./TRADITION HAS IT/THAT THEY WERE MAGI OR ASTROLOGICAL MASTERS /iHO HAD 0ROPHESIED THAT A GREAT NEW PROPHE
I	^
WOULD BE BORN,/WHERE A CERTAIN STAR WOULD LEAD tsl AHE STAR WAS IfROBABLY MORE OF aCn ASTROLOGICAL COMPUTATIOfflHAN A LITERAL HEAVENLY BODY.
THERE IS THAT OF US THATfCdts TO TRUTH THROUGH INTELLECTUAL STUDY./THERE IS A CERTAIN LQGIC TO THE IDEA OF HUMAN POINT I AL/Wfl CI^EADS TO THE BETHLEHEM PLACE IN CONSCIOUSNESS,/WHERE WE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.
BUT THE SIGNIFICANT THING ABOUT THE STORY/lS THST THERE IS A CONVERGENCE OF THE TWO L&NDS/--SYMBOLIZING SCIENC^AND RELIGI ON,/FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE ,/FEEL ING AND THOUGHT/
TO 'COME HOME FOR CHRISTMASES TO GO BEYOND THE OUTER CELEBRATION,/AND REALLY GET INVOLVED
WITHIN.
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WALT WHITMAN WAS ACCUSED OF EGOTISM OR SACRELEGE WHEN HE SANG,/lN HIS 'LEAVES OF GR8SS' 'I CELEBRATE MYSELF.' /ACTUALLY HE MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSER TO fHE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTOS/THEN MOST PERFUNCTORY CELEBRATIONS/WHICH CONSIST PRIMARILY OF ERECT* ING THE FACADE/AND GOING THROUGH THE ANNUALfCHARADE.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATES YOU,/THE BIR& OF THE CHRIST-AWARENESS/IN THE MANGER OF YOUR INNER BETHLEHENU
-nur	1
AN AWARENESS •'COMES THROUGH THE LOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS OF THE INTELLECT./SYMBOLIZED BY THE HHREE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST./.AND THROUGH THE FEELINGS OF THE HEART,/SYMBOLIZED BY THE SHEPHERDS OF THE FIELp'. WHEN ^CHRISTMAS REALLY CELEBRATES YOU,/IT IS A VITAL FORCE FOR GROWTH AND OVERCOMING.
♦ONE OF THE GREAT CLASSICS OF CHRISTMAS/IS DICKENS’
I
’CHRISTMAS CAROL’./PERHAPS YOU SAW GEORGE C. SCOTT
TtfV)W>4 y *&£,	ftev,r.
PORTRAYAL miWiaSftL IT WAS A MASTERFUC'PERFORMANC
\
AGAINST WHICH'ALL FUTURE PORTRAYALS WILL HAVE TO BE JUDGED. / THE SAD THING IS THAT THE STORY HAS BEEN PERVERTED,/THE REAL MEANING LOST./ IT IS NOT JUST THE STORY OFjfeOB CRATCHETT/AND TINY TIM,/AND THE HARASSMENT OF MEAN OLD EBENEZER SCROOGE./ IT IS A DRAMADIC STORY OF A MRRVELOUS METAMORPHOSIS THROUGH THE ACTIVITY OF THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT/ FOR YEARS I HAVE WAGED A ONE-MAN CRUSADE/TO RESTORE DIGNITY TO SCROOGE./ HE HAS BEEN GIVEN A 'BUM RAPf FOR HE HAS BECOME THE CLASSIC CAR ICATURE/OF THE MEAN AND SELFISH BUSINESS PERSON,/AND WE RIDICULE HIM THROUGH HIS WORDS. 'BAH HUMBUGl/
ACTUALLY THE CHRISTMAS CAROL/lS A STORY OF PERS SONAL GROWTH./THE MIRACLEfOF CHANGE./AND THE REALITY OF DIVINE POTENTIALITY THAT IS ALWAYS PRESENT/IN EVEN THE MOST DEPRAVED PERSONS/
SCROOGE FINALLY CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS./ HE BECAME A SENSITIVE EMPLOYER,/A SECOND FATHER TO TINY TIM./ HE VOICED A STRONG COMMITMENT:/'! WILL
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HONOR CHRISTMAS IN MY HEArWaND TRY TO KEEP IT ALL THE YEAR .jI WILL LIVE IN(rHE PAST./THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE./ THE SPIRITS OF ALL THREE SHALL STRIVE WITH ME. j\ WILL NOT SHUT OUT THE LESSONS THEY TEACH.//HIS EXPERIENCE WAS NOT UNLIKE THE SUORY OF QOE|/aND HIS STRIVING WITH THE THREE COMFORTERS ./IN BOTH CASESi THERE WAS A DRAMATIC METAMORPHOSIS,/THE CATERPILLAR BREAKING LOOSE/INTO THE BUTTERFLY OF A NEW LIFE.
► INSTEAD OF BEING THE VILLAIN OF CHRISTMAS/SCROG SHOULD BE A BRIGHT LIGHT/- MUCH IN THE SENSE THAT TRANSCENDED HIS PAST/AS A PERSECILTER OF CHRISTIANS/ANO BECAME THE GREAT LIGHT IN THE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT./ UNLESS WHAT HAPPENED TO SCROOGE HAPPENS IN SOEE WAY IN EACHH OF US/WE CANNOT SAY WE ARE CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS/ AND MOST 1 CERTAINLY NOT LETTING CHRISTMAS CELEBRATE US.
"fifi fin fit £ /W&VJifin JC I’-'+f'	___________
YOU MAY RECALL THAT DICKENS' 'CHRISTMAS CAROL'
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FEATURES-/rHE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PAST. CHRISTMAS PRESENT,AND CHRISTMAS FUTURE. YOTi MAY WANT TO
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LOOK BACK IN YOUR MEMORY TO CBRISTMASES OF OTHER YEARS,/ESPECIALLY AS THEY IMPINGE OH THE PRESENT EXPERIENCE./ YOU MAY RECALL SAD TIMES,/UNHAPPY TIMES WHICH YOU LOOK UPON WITH REGRET OR BITTERNESS./. .fvEN Pappy times,/heart-warming exderiiebces
THAT YOU RECALL TODAY WITH NOSTALGIA,/S/VEN LONGING./YOU CAN'T CHANGE THESE MEItlORIES,/NOR HAVE THEM BACK TO LIVE OVER AGAIN./ BUT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THEM,/AND BRING THEM INTO THE CONTEXT OF TODAY'S EXPERIENCE./ THEY WERE IMPORTANT STAGES IN YOUR GROWING UP./.BUT THEY HAVE 'COME TO PASS.’/ AND THEY WILL BRING A BLESSING TO YOUR CHRISTMS TODAY/lF YOU KMW.j REALLY KNfiM,/THAT 'ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR YOUR GOOD
[AND CHRISTMS PRESENfl. LOOK AT YOURSELF TODAY,/THE
tEMAHDS AND PRESSURES,/THE INNER CONFUSIONS AND BOUBTS./ ADMIT TO THE FACADE OF CHRISTMAS THAT
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YCll HAVE ERECTED,/THE MASK OF CHRISTMAS JOY THAT YOU HAVE PUT ON../ REALIZE THAT THESE ARE THE MAKINGS FOR A HAPPENING./..BUT BE WILLINGtTO LET IT HAPPEN../COMM IT YOURSELF TO LETTING IT HAPPEN./.. LETTINGfTHE CHRIST CHILD*BE BORN/lN THE MANGER OF YOUR HEART.
THEN[CHRISTMAS FUTURE. CHR1STMSS IS AN UNFINISHED STORY./ IT IS NOT TOO LAIE/TO REFLECT IN A CHRISTMAS DREAM./.THE KIND OF CHRISTMAS YOU* WOULD LIKE TO EXPERIENCE BEFORE THIS DAY IS OVER/ BEFORE THIS DAY GETS AWAY FROM YOU WRIT# A DIARY OF THE DAY AS IF IT HADiHAPPENED YESTERDAY./. .DEAL ING WITH ALL THE FACETS OF YOUR LIFE./. .FINANCES,/RELATIONSHIPS, /HEALTUL.jWORK-lISFE./.AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH/ THIS IS CHRISTMAS FUTURE. WRITE IT IN THE FORM OF A PROCLAMATION FOR YOURSELF./PUT IT IN AM ENVELOPE AND HOLDtIT UNTIL NEXT WRK OH NEW YEAR'SfDAY.	TAKE	SOME	IFIME	TO READ
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IT OVER PRAYERFULLY AND CAREFULLl. IT CAN BE A VITAL MEANS OF GIVING CONTINUITY/rO THE FACE OF YOUR*CHRISTMAS./.W GIVING STRUCTURE BEHIND THE FACADE, AND OF MfAKING YOUR DREAM A REALITY.
A MAN ATTENDED A QUAKER CHURCH FOR THE FIRST TIM|/ HE SAT RESTLESSLY/AS THERE WAS A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SILENCE./ HE TURNED TO THE MAM NEXT TO HIM AND HISPERED./'.WHEN DOES r|)E SERVICE BEGIN.'/ THE MAN LEANED OVER AND WHISPERED, / 'WHEN THE MEETING IS OVER.'
WHEN WE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS,/AND GET CENTERED IN THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST/lN THE MANGER OF OUR HEART. ./.THE TRUE CHRIST MASS BEGINS WHEN THEfiDAY OF CELEBRATION IS OVER./THERE IS A SLEEVES-ROLLED-UP WORK TO BE DONE./AfNEW CONSCIOUSNESS TO REVEAL/, AND THE LIGHT OF OUR PERSONAL STAR TO SHINE.
IT TAKES EF"FORT TO BREAK OUT OF THE VICE-LIKE HOLD THAT OUTER CHRISTMAS HAS UPON US/THE WHOLE
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STORY HAS BEEN SENTIMENTALIZED/AND THUS MADE UNREAL. /LIKE A MOVIE THAT WE WATCH FOR AN HOUR./.. (CAVE A ROOD CRY OVER./.AND THEN GO OUT INTO LIVES OF DRABNESS AND ROUTINENESS./.NOT THE LEAST BIT CHANGED BY THE EXPERIENCE.
CHRISTMAS SHOULD NOT BE A SEASONAL BACKWARD GLANCE AT AN EVENT OF SO LONG AGO/THAT WE CAN ONLY DEAL WITH IT IN SYMBOLIC FORM/THROUGH ASEMBLING OUR CHRISTMAS CRECHE,/WHICH IS A KIND OF PASTE-ON-PIET
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OF THE SEASON., t^H IS SOON PACKED AWAY WITH ORNAMENTS AND TINSEL,/WHEN THE RERFUNCTORY PRAC-ICE HAS HAS BEEN FULFILLED./ CHRISTMAS SHOULD RATHER, BEjA FORWARD LOOK./ IT IS A PRPHETIC DAY/
0^SHOULD BE./ THEtBIRTH OF THE*CHRIST,/YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS STAR.^BELONGS TO AN ORDER OF LIFE/NOT YET ATTAINED,/A GLIMPSEtOF A RACE OF EEOPLE YET TO BE./ AND WE CAN DREAM!
SO...IT’S NOT TOO LATE...COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
ib/K Tity) To* S/4"Gob /?c<r/ us ocl - - t(/£/)</ ou* *