What we shouldn’t put away with the Christmas decorations

Christmas is not just another passing season, but a holy one that was intended by God to transform our lives and change the world.

In new-year conversations with friends and our team at the Center on Faith and Justice, we are talking about the great times we had with our children and families over the holidays, some much-needed downtime after a busy fall, and before an even busier and consequential election year in 2024.

Those conversations remind me of how special and powerful the Christmas season is, and why it is always my favorite time of the year. It really is all about love, hope, and peace. 

My favorite Christmas texts are two. One is from Isaiah 9:6 prophesying the coming of a new king and kingdom here on earth:

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

This was never to be just a private personal king and kingdom, but one that would encompass the whole world. 

My other key Christmas text is the prayer of Mary, the Magnificat, from the mother who perhaps best understood the meaning of the One who was in her womb. Mary said in Luke 1:46-55:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for God has looked with favor on the lowliness of the Almighty’s servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is God’s name.

God’s mercy is for those who fear God

from generation to generation.

God has shown strength with God’s arm;

God has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

God has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

God has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

God has helped servant Israel,

in remembrance of God’s mercy,

according to the promise God made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

These are texts not to be put away after Christmas, and the love that we felt during this special season is also not to be put away with the holiday decorations.

No, the coming of the One at Christmas was meant to change everything for those who would become his disciples. The governance of the world changed for us. Peace would be His way – and now our way. And the world’s values would be turned upside down for us, with those at the bottom prioritized over those at the top.

The politics that we face in 2024 are not full of love, peace, or much hope: Even the words over the holiday season by the likely candidate for the nomination of the Republican Party were filled with the anti-Christmas rhetoric of anger and attack. As he said of his many political foes on Christmas Day, “MAY THEY ROT IN HELL. AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!” 

Where are the politics of neighborly love, following the commandment of Jesus, and even the deeper challenge of loving our enemies? 

All political candidates are flawed, as are all political parties, and all human beings. The question is who and what we aspire to be. Beyond the candidates, who will win in 2024: our worst demons or our better angels? All nations have both. This election will be about deciding who and what we are as an American people, and what kind of country we want to be. 

In particular, it will test who we are as Christians, who we truly follow and what our spiritual leadership provides. What will be the faith factor in the 2024 election? The politics of love and peace, or the politics of hate and division? Those differences will be about much more than policy choices.

My New Year’s Resolution is to uplift the meaning of true faith over bad religion in this election season. I would like you to join that mission by following the work of the Georgetown Center on Faith and Justice, where I am founding director. We are planning several key religion-and-democracy events and projects in 2024. Please join our mailing list to learn more about how you can become involved:

Blessings for the new year, 

Jim 

My new book, “False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy ,” is available for preorder.