Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Each year we celebrate the Christmas season.  We open up a plethora of gifts, count our blessings, congratulate ourselves on being a fine God-fearing nation, steeped in Christian ideals and charged with telling the world just how wonderful our way of life is.

But the sad truth is that if we really look at ourselves objectively, we are anything but “blessed.”  We are arrogant, self-absorbed, fat, lazy, insular, judgmental and contemptuous of anything and everything we don’t understand or agree with.  In every way imaginable we are about as far removed from what Christ represented as the nations we have the temerity to criticize as being godless and bereft of compassion and mercy.

America remains that ultimate paradox of nations.  On the one hand, a self-proclaimed lover of God, country and freedom; on the other showing an almost complete disdain for that love, possessing an utterly warped perception of its own history and lacking even the most rudimentary understanding of what true freedom really means.  Of the true spirit of Christmas, Americans know precious little.  Our chief occupation appears to be preaching not the Gospel of Christ, but the gospel of greed and corruption.  And now we sit on top of our heap of ashes that serve to remind us, if we dare look, of the wages of our sins, comfortable in our drug of denial.  In every way imaginable we have reaped what we have sowed.

So oblivious are we to our sinful ways that we have become numb to their affects, not only on us, but on the world.  Whether America ever once stood for something great or not - and the jury is still out on that one - one thing is certain: we have worn out our welcome, severely damaged whatever reputation we might have once enjoyed and used up all the credit we have amassed over the generations.  In many ways the United States more closely resembles the Roman Empire prior to its collapse than a beacon of justice and liberty.

Humbleness and humility are nowhere to be found; I’m not sure that they ever existed in the first place.  Charity is mentioned only in the context of distant fairytales that our children read and watch with amusement.  “Are there no workhouses?” has become our enjoining banner.  Were Christ alive today, I fear he would call out America in much the same way he called out the Pharisees of his day.  He would call us a brood of vipers as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.  And with every damnable phrase that would leave his lips, we collectively would be condemned as the hypocrites we truly are.  There would be no escape from our just desserts, for we would’ve earned each and every slanderous charge accorded us.  Our fate would be as sealed as the envelopes that hold the meaningless Christmas cards we send to one another.

Many years ago, there was a song I remembered that was released around this time of year.  Fittingly, it was titled, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”  Of all the songs of this holiday season, none are more fitting or appropriate than this one.  It is hardly joyous or cheerful, but it is, nonetheless, on point.  I may be presumptuous, but I feel if Christ were with us now, he would not only appreciate this song, but would encourage us to keep it in our hearts all the year round.

Merry Christmas.

It's Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time, we let in light and we banish shade

And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy!
Throw your arms around the world at Christmas time

But say a prayer - pray for the other ones
At Christmas time, it's hard, but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dreaded fear
Where the only water flowing is a bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom

Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life

Where nothing ever grows
No rain or rivers flow

Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

Here's to you
Raise your glass for everyone
Here's to them
Underneath that burning sun

Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

Feed the world
Feed the world
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time and
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time and
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time and
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time and
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time and
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time