Pagan Holidays

Background picture of our tree and things that go in the car for our holiday trip to see family-taken by Fran Meservy

Pagan Holiday by Fran Meservy

Christmas (Christ mass) Jesus was the Christ and churches hold mass to celebrate his birth. Thus we have Christmas.

Back in 1982 just before Christmas I prayed about celebrating with a tree and about Easter. That's when I first heard that Christmas and Easter were pagan holidays. Jesus asked, "What does the tree mean to you?"

Christmas - The Star on top of the tree represents the star that led the wise men to Jesus. The lights represent "Jesus is the light to the world." The garland is the love that God surrounds us to protect us. The Ball are the Gifts of the Spirit he gives us. The wise men brought Jesus gifts. We give gifts to each other. Jesus said whatever you give to each other you have given to me. The tree itself represents Jesus is the tree of life. Don't know how that (tree) came about; but that's what it represents to me.

Resurrection Day

Easter - I don't know how that (eggs) came about - we were told it represented new life in Jesus. It was the only day of the year that we got new hats, gloves, purses, clothes and shoes. No body does that any more - I miss it. You can't find a dressy hat that is reasonably priced. It was a day of renewing outward and inward. I celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. I don't care what the day is called. God knows what is in each person's heart when they celebrate.

In the USSR people were not allowed to celebrate Christmas or Easter. When the Iron curtain came down, the Christians were ecstatic because the could celebrate Christmas (Jesus' birth) with Christmas trees and other decorations. They could also celebrate Easter (the resurrection of Jesus) again. Both of these holidays are considered pagan holidays by some legalistic Christians in America. They are considered Christian Holidays by the rest of the world.

The fact that my sins are why Jesus had to die on the cross makes me say and I cry. The resurrection fills me with joy because Jesus is alive and it is the power of the resurrection that makes it possible for me to be born again.

A church in Jackson MS did the best celebration I have ever seen. They enacted the crucifixion outside the church on Good Friday. From that time until Sunday Morning people brought flowers and laid them at the foot of the cross. Sunday Morning they enacted the resurrection outside and then had the celebration (singing & sermon) inside the church. The church was overrunning with people. It was standing room only. The whole thing was televised on a PBS local station each day. It was wonderful.

Col 2:15-3:2 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.