Looking for the wrong things: peace, power and the meaning of Christmas |
As another bruising year ends, Christmas offers a reminder that peace is not found in power, wealth or spectacle, but in inner integrity, humility and care for others.
In an exchange between Jesus and the crowd he asked: “what did you go out into the desert to look at?”
2025 can hardly be measured as a great year for humanity, or indeed for the planet. Will next year be any better? Probably not. Why not? Because overall we are accustomed to look for and treasure the wrong things, that is, they are the wrong things if we are genuinely interested in harmony and human wellbeing.
Christmas is celebrated by a significant percentage of the global human population. Customs such as the tree and lights, puddings and turkeys have evolved over time. In the UK, they were given a significant push along by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Albert’s German roots brought the significance of the tree to the English version of Christmas celebration. While these customs can usefully adorn the true Christmas story of the eternal Word made flesh, they are celebrated apart from that narrative by most people.
In other words, the celebration of Christmas is an entirely secular event for most. To be even more blunt, it has become a successful enterprise for a capitalised and commerce orientated world.
Perhaps because of this, Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year for many people, perhaps for most people, according to the medical........