December
is the month in which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus.
I
can remember the time when it wasn�t politically incorrect to wish
someone a Merry Christmas. Today there seems to be some confusion about
what this time of year represents. Some believe that wishing people a
happy holiday would be more appropriate and less offensive to those not of
the Christian faith. So in our schools and many other places, the
Christmas part of December has been filed in a cabinet drawer and replaced
by something called the holiday season. It�s not the season we are
celebrating, but an important part of the history of the world that is
represented by the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is the time to ask all
religions to join in the celebration of Christ�s coming, as I would wish
that all Christians would respect the beliefs of others and be joyous
about their celebrations of faith.
And
Christians can disagree on how to celebrate Christ�s birthday. One way
of sharing my personal joy at Christmas is to erect a yard display. First
set up in 1968, it evolved into a tradition in the Manassas area. Last
year I resurrected this tradition after an eight-year pause due to family
matters. The display has not been without controversy, and I relate the
following story to show how individuals can view the celebration of
Christmas differently.
A
young priest was making a point about the real meaning of Christmas �
the birth of Christ should always be remembered as the reason we celebrate
Christmas. Inspired by his homily, I repainted and enhanced the
nativity-scene part of my display, which also includes many Christmas and
cartoon characters. The display is mechanized with 14 motors. In early
December the following year, my wife and I attended mass with the same
priest. He began by again emphasizing the importance of remembering Christ
as the main reason for the holiday. He then used my Christmas display as
one of his illustrations on how people were placing the wrong emphasis on
Christmas. He said, �And then there is this man in Sudley who has this
display with Batman, and all these characters in the front of his house
and off to the side he has placed Christ. He should have placed Christ in
the center of the yard � �
He continued on about the display, not realizing that the owner was
sitting just a few pews in front of him and that everyone else in the
church knew the family except him.
After
mass I approached him and informed him that the display belonged to me. He
was somewhat stunned and quickly apologized, saying if he had known it was
one of the church�s parishioners, he would have not used the
illustration. I responded by saying he should refrain from criticizing
anyone�s effort to celebrate Christmas. Christmas is about a baby�s
birth and a joyful time for many children. The characters displayed are
creations of God, Who is working though the minds of man to spread great
joy. The display is for God�s most precious creation, the children of
the world, both young and old. I invited him to view and bless the
display, which he did.
So,
as society continues to discuss what the season is all about, let me
invite you to my home and wish you a Merry Christmas. You can personally
drive to 7500 Forrester Lane, Manassas, Virginia, or enjoy it on the Web
at http://Christmasdisplay.doctorbee.com. The Bonfadinis are also looking
forward to celebrating the birth of our eighth grandchild in December, so
you may also see a stork in the yard along with a new display. Many people
have asked if they could donate to help with the display costs. Our family
has been greatly affected by the diseases of cystic fibrosis and cancer.
Donations to these organizations at a time of giving are always
appreciated.
Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation
6931
Arlington Road
Bethesda,
Maryland 20814
American
Cancer Society
P.O.
Box 22718
Oklahoma
City, OK 73123-1718
