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| Is this the "charade" of Christmas? |
Where did this idea come from?
Christopher Hale in a Washington Post article on Christmas Eve reminded readers that last year the pope told a group of Mass goers that "Christmas is a charade:" Here's how he quotes the pope:
“Christmas is approaching: There will be lights, parties, lighted Christmas trees and manger scenes. … It’s all a charade....The world continues to go to war. The world has not chosen a peaceful path. There are wars today everywhere, and hate.... We should ask for the grace to weep for this world, which does not recognize the path to peace. To weep for those who live for war and have the cynicism to deny it. God weeps; Jesus weeps.”Wow! Does this mean as long as there is war, poverty, persecution, etc. no one is allowed to celebrate the joy of "God with us" at Christmas or the Resurrection at Easter? Is our enjoyment of family and feasting in celebration of God's gifts nothing but a hypocritical "charade" because we haven't eliminated all the evils of the world? Since Jesus told us, "The poor you will always have with you," I guess that means we may NEVER EVER celebrate. What a gloomy vision opposed to the words of Isaiah, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light." (Isaiah 9:2)
But let's put this article in perspective because it wasn't really about what the pope said, was it? Why is Hale writing about something that happened a year ago? Oh...right! This article is really an attack on Donald Trump who said folks could expect to hear "Merry Christmas" again. Hale, a TIME's columnist and professed Catholic is the executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG), a George Soros funded group, who worked to corral Catholics for Obama in 2012. Here's what he writes presenting a cynical picture of Trump's meaning of Christmas:
The power of Christmas is derived from our ability to communicate and practice God’s saving love in the invisible parts of the world. Saying “Merry Christmas” at Macy’s might win an empty-shell public-relations battle, but it does nothing to truly advance the Gospel of Jesus. The Christmas that Donald Trump is defending is the Norman Rockwell Christmas: a bourgeois celebration that’s accented by turkey, gifts and comfort. From a Christian standpoint, then, Pope Francis is right: This version of Christmas is a charade, and it’s time to reignite the war against it.That's interesting. Here is a man supporting a president who waged total war on the unborn, increased the instability and violence in the Middle East, and persecuted the Little Sisters of the Poor for refusing to pay for employees' contraception, attacking American families who celebrate Christ's birth "Norman Rockwell" style. The guy talks like a socialist when he attacks the "bourgeois" and he's definitely a hypocrite taking money from Christians' public enemy #1, George Soros. Hale needs to watch It's a Wonderful Life and listen to George Bailey's confrontation with Mr. Potter (Castro in a suit) who also held the "bourgeois" in contempt:
Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? (With a Christmas tree in the living room and a turkey on the table?)I wonder what Christmas was like at Christopher Hale's house -- gruel and black crepe? I know what it was like at one of my daughter's. Her little ones started doing extra chores early in Advent to earn money to buy gifts for the Shoebox program and the Giving Tree at Church. The girls told me all about the things they chose to buy for the children who would receive their gifts. We supported the "sweats for vets" project at Church and made Christmas donations to some of our favorite charities, especially those that help pregnant moms who choose life for their babies. That's what a "Norman Rockwell" Christmas looks like.
Hale talks about the "invisible" parts of the world, but the most invisible poor of the world are the abandoned babies in the womb, who have nothing, not even their mother's love. They rarely get a mention from the pope and Catholic liberals are champions of "reproductive rights" for women. The little ones are certainly invisible to Mr. Hale who supported the most pro-abortion politician in history while working for a group that claims to oppose their murder. Actions speak louder than words and sometimes names are hollow. "Christopher Jolly Hale" is no Christ-bearer and he appears to be as "jolly" as Scrooge before his conversion.
In my opinion, this entire article was the typical rant of a liberal progressive who will use any stick to beat his opponent no matter how ridiculous. Donald Trump made it politically correct to say "Merry Christmas" again. I'm thankful for that. He was also in Church on Christmas. Where was Obama, Hale's hero? Probably using his pen and his phone to impose another Grinch-attack on the unsuspecting "rabble" in fly-over country.
No wonder Trump won! Get over it, Mr. Hale.
I just watched it a wonderful life two nights ago. Mr. Hale has learned his heresey well. They probably had lobster in opposition to Hannaku starting today.
ReplyDeleteit’s time to reignite the war against it (meaning Christmas????) and Mr. Hale is just trying to do that....with the support of a pope....When will this nightmare end???? It seems that every day brings us a new surprise....and..I remember the pope says he love surprises, or that the Holy Spirit does... Honestly, I cannot take any more of these awful surprises. Please, Holy Spirit, bring us back to ordinary time.
ReplyDeleteFrom Anonymous D,
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand Pope Francis really does seem to like people. Perhaps that is why he is so talkative -- very out going. The two popes, past and present, really seem to like each other and do agree on many ways of doing things. Let us pray for both and the whole Church -- for unity most of all as the Lord Jesus did.
We should ray for Cardinal Burke, too, and the other three cardinals along with the rest, that they always do the right things.
From Anonymous D,
ReplyDeleteI apologize. I meant my last post for your article "Malicious Resistance, the Inspiration of the Devil and the Pope of Mercy". It was a continuation of my first post under that article.
A correction too, the first part of the second paragraph of the above post should read, "We should pray for Cardinal Burke ......"