Keeping Christmas

Peter Marshall was a Scot who emigrated to America in the 1920’s to become an eloquent preacher and for a time was a revered chaplain to the Americam Senate. He died suddenly at the age of 48 at the height of his powers. His wife, Catherine Marshall wrote his biography in a book entitled, ‘A Man Called Peter’ which was later made into a Hollywood film.

One of his famous sermons was entitled, ‘Keeping Christmas’ in which he challenged his congregation as to how they kept or celebrated Christmas. A good question for us to answer and put another way, ‘What sort of Christmas will we be keeping ?’


There are a variety of Christmasses from the fiercely commercial to the highly sentimental; the blatantly secular or the deeply religious. But the fact is that whilst all these variations of the seasonal magic relate to the real Christmas none of them takes to the real heart of the matter. Some are grotesque substitutes for the real thing. Perhaps the politically correct types who want to rename Christmas the ‘Winter Festival’ or the ‘Festival of Light’ have a point though for the wrong reasons.

Mary and Jesus The real Christmas is not about what we, as human beings do, keep or celebrate as such but what God has done for us in visiting our planet with the Son of His love.

As the prophet said long before Jesus came, For unto a child is born, unto us a Son is given..And at his actual arrival or Advent we are told His name shall be called Jesus for He will save His people from their sins He will carry many titles but the most striking will be Immanuel which means God with us!

Put another way in the words of the poet, Christina Rossetti,

Love came down at Christmas
Love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign

Christmas is first and foremost, about God’s love in action on our behalf. Celebrating with presents, spreading good-will and charitable works follow from this greatestact of generosity upon God’s part for us frail, sinful human beings. Unless we allow God to enter our lives by faith and obedience then for all its jollity Christmas will eventually turn out to be a cruel mockery of our lives.

This is strikingly seen where many people of all colours, cultures and creeds face the onset of Christmas with sorrow and deep grief. Just remember the thousands bereaved and injured by the tsunami of last Boxing Day. Can you imagine their feelings at this time – they could be excused at wanting to see the back of Christmas as soon as possible.

And yet the true message of Christmas, cutting through the traditional frivolities of the season is the very word of comfort, healing, peace and hope that these folk along with all of us need to hear. And this Word is the Word made flesh which came to dwell amongst us  to bring the salvation the world still desperately needs.

I return to the words of Peter Marshall in that striking Christmas message when he said, Let’s not succumb to the sophistication that complains that Christmas only belongs to the children. That shows that you have never understood Christmas at all for the older you get, the more Christmas means, that is if you really know what it means.

To quote a rather tired cliché which is meant to remind those people who buy a pet as a present for others,  a dog is not just for Christmas, but for life  so Christ is not an ancient excuse for self-indulgence or shallow setimentality but Christ is for our whole life in time and eternity and for those who discover this fact this is the real magic and mystery and above all theglory of Christmas. Not for nothing was the birth of that baby at Bethlehem heralded by a chorus of angels who sang,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests

Douglas Graham

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