For all those worried about keeping Christ in Christmas

[hedgehog]

I say, feed the hungry and clothe the naked and Christmas will take care of itself.

[shrike]

1. Yay!

Unfortunately, there are a lot of hungry to feed and naked to clothe this year.

[AngryOldDem]

2. And not just during the holidays, either.

Unfortunately, once a month's worth of good will and good cheer wear off, the hungry and naked kinda fall off the radar for most people.

The shelter was literally innundated with donations earlier in the week. That's great, don't get me wrong. But I couldn't help but think how bare our shelves were last summer.

[shrike]

3. A lot of sad things in this world

Last year, the local shop-with-a-cop (a program whereby police officers take local kids on a Christmas shopping spree) was inundated with applicants. One lady in particular had never done this sort of thing before and she was nervous as heck. Middle-class, well-spoken, probably never thought she'd be at this point in her life.

[hedgehog]

4. Why did I start this thread?

Yesterday our pastor preached a sermon to our comfortable congregation about how they should say a thank you prayer to Jesus for being born before they open each present in order to "keep Christ in Christmas". I know he meant well, but sermons like that are an invitation to sanctimony, IMO. Do we start complaining about others not keeping Christ in Chritmas because we're really feeling guilty our own wealth? It's always easier to point out the other fellow's sin than our own.