Saturday, December 8, 2007

Cantata Crunch Time

The Christmas Cantata.  Say those words to any church choir member in early December and you probably get a reaction anywhere from rolling of eyes to a slightly muffled guttural utterance that no one would ever claim as a curse.  While sitting in one of many Saturday morning choir rehearsals today, I figured out that I have been singing in church choir on a regular basis for 20 years. When you think about it, that is a lot of lost December Saturday productivity.  No wonder I still do most of my shopping on Christmas eve.  Okay, maybe that is a bit of a stretch. 

Our choir is singing a cantata entitled, "Christmas Is Jesus."  While rehearsing one of the songs today, I had a very interesting stream of consciousness journey.  Do you ever do that?  You are minding your own business, focusing on some task at hand and before you know it, one thought leads to another and you are somewhere in another place and another time.  I will try to retrace my steps .

First, we were singing a song called, "Your Presence For Christmas," with the obvious play on words indicating that we want Christ's presence as a present more so than anything or anyone else.  There is one particular melody line in the song that is nearly identical to "My Way" as done by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.  When I made that realization, my body instinctively went into Elvis mode: lip quiver, hip shake, and leg twist followed by the Kung Fu pose.  Then the journey began.

"How ironic that we are singing about Jesus in a cantata that proclaims that "Christmas Is Jesus" and this song reminds me of "My Way?"   "I did it my way...."  Is that not just like Christmas nowadays?  We do it our way.  Christmas is made to be what we want it to be.  It is no longer about celebrating the birth of the Christ child or contemplating the ramifications of Emmanuel, God with us.  Now people don't even want Christ in their Christmas, er uh... excuse me "Holidays."  Happy Holidays!  Puhlease!"  

"On top of that, Elvis is the one who made "My Way" famous.  Elvis, The King.  Rather than remember and acknowledge God's greatest gift, His Son, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, we ascribe to people and things the place of honor in our lives.  Christmas has become all about what gifts I can receive... and even the constant consideration of what gifts we are going to give other people borders on the idolatrous when we lose sight of the One who should take sole (or is it soul) possession and position on the throne of our lives."

It was midway through the next song before I came back to myself, and the choir loft.  Every year about this time I promise myself that I am going to slow down, stop chasing Christmas and just let it come, naturally.  I challenge you to do the same.  As cliche as it may sound, why don't we make a concerted effort to keep Jesus as the reason for the season.  Enjoy the lights, the sights and the sounds, but keep your eyes on prize, better yet, The Gift... Jesus Christ.  

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