A Christmas Together
Wrapping presents in the faint glow of our shabby little artificial, pre-lit tree tonight, Scott and I revisited the Muppets’ and John Denver’s A Christmas Together. As we do every year, we sang along with Miss Piggy and Rowlf and all the gang, and, as always, I got a little misty-eyed hearing John Denver wishing his son Zachary a merry Christmas and telling the story of a tree.
There’s been a lot of hype this year about the secularization of Christmas, and a cry of outrage from the far right about the inclusion of many faiths in a pluralistic society that comes together to celebrate in these dark, early winter days.
I want to send Bill O’Reilly a copy of A Christmas Together … to show him what Christian love can be. There are some people like John Denver and Kermit the Frog that can talk about prayer and Christ and make an atheist grow sentimental. And there are others that can sew hate and grow rich off of the profits of fear and division.
Personally, I prefer Kermit’s way:
I don’t know if you believe in Christmas
Or if you have presents underneath a Christmas tree.
But if you believe in love, that will be more than enough
For you to come and celebrate with me.For I have held the precious gift that love brings
Even though I never saw a Christmas star.
But I know there is a light - I have felt it burn inside,
And I have seen it shining from afar.Christmas is a time to come together,
A time to put all differences aside.
And I reach out my hand
To the family of man
To share the joy I feel at Christmas time.For the truth that binds us all together
I would like to say a simple prayer:
That at this special time you will have true peace of mind
And peace to last throughout the coming year.