by Reverend Sir Knight Donald Kerr
Families prepare for Christmas in many different ways. One family of whom I've heard uses large plywood letters that are illuminated by lights on the roof of their house. The letters spell, "NOEL." As it often happens in the rush of things ,time was running out in trying to get the sign up on the roof. Near to the last day, the father was sure he would get the job done. It was a cold and blustery day, and the plywood letters were big and awkward. Fighting the wind and trying to get the letters in place, the father up on the roof yelled down, "All right, it's ready. Turn on the lights." Everyone was excited and ran out to see the lights on the roof. Surprise! Instead of the letters spelling "NOEL," the lights on the roof spelled, "LEON."
What a shock after all that work! Suddenly "NOEL" became "LEON." It's easy at Christmas to get things mixed up. We know what Christmas is supposed to mean, but it's easy to become embroiled with ribbons and tinsel and lights and presents so that at times we forget that Christmas means pure love and hope and cheer and peace and goodwill.
We need this season of activity, and we enjoy it. This is a time when we need to hear the angels sing and to reflect on God's love for us. Christmas tells us that the Savior of the world has been born in Jesus Christ. All of us at times get depressed. Christmas comes to lift our spirits out of the doldrums and to set us before the wonder of that eternal mystery. That's why we sing, "Noel! Noel! the Lord is with us."
So, may it be a merry Christmas to one and all and also a happy Hanukkah!
The Reverend Sir Knight Donald C. Kerr, a member of Beauseant Commandery No. 8, Baltimore, MD, is Pastor-emeritus of the Roland Park Presbyterian Church in Baltimore. He resides at 700 John Ringling Boulevard, Apt. E202, Sarasota, FL 34236-1586