Christmas Greetings
By: Elliott Shin | Executive Director
By the first week of December my calendar is usually filled with family, personal and ministry Christmas events. In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic leads us into our 9th month, I am acutely aware that the normal chaos of shopping, parties and friend get togethers that typically bring joy and excitement to this time of the year will be replaced by a lot of stay at home activities. As we strive to adhere to public health restrictions, we are trying our best to find creative ways to celebrate with our friends and family.
This will definitely be a more intimate Christmas season. A time to celebrate the birth of Christ with just our immediate families. As I reflect on what a pandemic Christmas will look like, I am stuck by the unseen blessings this year can potentially provide.
I acknowledge that in years past, the glitter, and busyness of gift buying (receiving), dinners, lunches, and parties have oftentimes clouded the true meaning of Christmas. This year, through the intimacy of celebrating just with our immediate family, God has given us a wonderful opportunity to dig deeper and make this a much more thoughtful and contemplative festive season.
My prayer is that this will not be a disappointing Christmas for you. Instead of whining, bemoaning and complaining about missing the many events and activities of the season, let’s take advantage of the additional intimate, alone time with God. As we do so, I am confident that God will reveal to us an important, richer and momentous message for us to reflect on.
Although marvelous, the meaning of Christmas does not lie on the creative gifts we give and receive. Nor is it in the magnificently trimmed tree, or the succulent turnkey dinner with all the trimmings with friends and family. Christmas is a season of joy that is not of material blessings. But rather, It is a time to simply celebrate the humble birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son Jesus into the world, and his birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. However, this was no ordinary baby, the prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. “For unto us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Jesus’ story is one of hope, love and truth. His birth brought salvation for all of us. The bible teaches us that we are all sinners, we are born with a sin nature and sometimes we will do things that will not please God. But Jesus came to die on the cross for all of our sins. If we believe that Christ died for our sins, we can ask him to come into our lives and forgive us. We can have a personal relationship with Him!
As we live through the uncertainties and worries of Covid-19, we are blessed with the opportunity to observe and examine Christmas in a different manner. In the midst of challenging government restrictions, let us not be discouraged in our inability to meet with friends and extended family. Instead let us take this opportunity to have a more intimate Christmas and dig deeper and wider as we joyously reflect on the birth of Jesus!
On behalf of the Toronto City Mission team, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
This is a video of drawings that the kids of our programs made. We hope you enjoy ‘The Story of Christmas’.