As I sit here, just four days before Christmas, I find myself thinking about this season, about the "War on Christmas" and what it says about Christianity--a belief I share. What saddens me most of all is that arguments and threats over "Christmas tree" vs. "holiday tree," "Merry Christmas" vs. "happy holidays" vs. "season's greetings" entirely misses the point over what this holiday should truly mean.
For me, celebrating the feast of the birth of Jesus Christ should mean celebrating the values that Christ championed: justice, compassion, and charity. And the best part of it is that these are universal values, shared by people of many different faiths and beliefs. In Austin this fall, we had an excellent example of this from the local Pakistani community.
In a year filled with apocalyptic natural disasters, the earthquake that struck the Muzaffarabad/Kashmir region of Pakistan and India was the worst, with over 87,000 confirmed victims. Many times that number are facing a severe winter with no shelter, no clothes, no blanket. Sarah Malik and others in Austin decided that they couldn't stand by and watch. Ms. Malik had worked with Austin Area Interreligious Ministries on other projects and she knew what could happen with people of many faiths come together and work for the common good. Her goal was to fill a 40-foot shipping container with clothing, blankets, tents, and other things the people in the earthquake zone would need, and she emailed local churches and synagogues to help. Not one turned her down.
Islamic relief airlifted the results--tons of tents, sleeping bags and jackets, hand-knitted hats and shawls, People also contributed other badly needed goods, such as aspirin, bandages, and baby bottles. Over 13 tons of goods in all, and it even made national news in Pakistan.
Sarah Malik was kind enough to share with me her experience in helping lead the organization of this drive, and what struck me was what she said about the impact on the local immigrant community in Austin, who were the ones who processed the donations. Many, she says, are apprehensive of raising their child in American society after growing up in a country that was 98% Muslim. Her hope, and mine as well, is that seeing this outpouring of donations from Christians, Jews, and others, with notes that said things like "wrapped in prayer" will help them see that the average American is a good and decent person who will dig deep and help people in need.
This, to me, gets to the point of it all, and the point of the Christmas season particularly. This season is about reaching a hand out to whoever needs one, not about a spiritual show of force from some in the Christian community. This should be a time of humility and service, in honor of a baby born in poverty in the midst of farm animals, not about the prideful display of power. I'm grateful to Sarah Malik and the others who worked so hard getting the larger community in Austin involved in helping the victims of this horrible earthquake, because this Christmas particularly, I need to remember that most people don't agree with people like Bill O'Reilly and Pat Robertson.
And if any of you reading this wants to help with this ongoing need, check out Sleeping Bags for Pakistan. They're still accepting financial contributions.
And I wish everyone a wonderful holiday, however you may choose to celebrate it!