Merry Christmas!

In recent years we’ve been seeing more and more “happy holidays,” and “holiday trees” and “winter solstice” parties. We are being told that we must not offend those who don’t celebrate “Merry Christmas.” Well, 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, and during Advent and on Christmas Day we need to “Merry Christmas” one another at every opportunity.

We need to “Merry Christmas” Christians, We need to “Merry Christmas” Jews, we need to “Merry Christmas” Muslims, we need to “Merry Christmas” atheists, and most of all we need to “Merry Christmas” the ACLU, at every opportunity. When they tell us that they don’t celebrate Christmas we tell them that’s okay, but we do, and we hope that on Christmas day they are merry no matter how they spend the day. Certainly when we know someone is Jewish we also wish him a Happy Hanukkah with all our hearts.

But that is not enough. We need to try to influence both sides of the greeting. When someone wishes us “Happy Holidays,” we need to reply, “I’m a Catholic, and we celebrate Christmas. Please wish me a Merry Christmas.” Christians of other faith traditions can as easily say, “I’m a Christian, and we celebrate Christmas. Please wish me a Merry Christmas.”

If anyone is offended by our hope that on December 25 they have a merry day, perhaps we can ask them why, and explain the reasons for our cheer. Mt 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

This whole idea that “we must never offend anyone” is a hoot. The ACLU offends me, and it were consistent it would sue itself into bankruptcy. All sorts of movies these days offend me. Secular liberal views offend me. When these people silence themselves in response to my wishes we can talk about “happy holidays.” Christ offended a lot of people. Mt 5:11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

This is the message the secular liberals find offensive:

Luke 2:8 “And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!’”

We give offense to some, and joy to many, by proclaiming the good news of our Faith, and wishing it for all. So when we’re in stores, we “Merry Christmas” the store employees. When we’re in restaurants we “Merry Christmas” the waitress, the cashier, and the owner if he’s around. When a telemarketer calls we “Merry Christmas” him. When we see friends we “Merry Christmas” them. When we see family we “Merry Christmas” them. And, most of all, whenever someone wishes us “Happy Holidays” we respond with a loud and cheerful, “Merry Christmas!”

Oh, by the way,

Merry Christmas!