this marks the return of that glorious day christmas
day when the heart's kindly wishes find their
way to the lips in words and i wishing you and
yours a very merry christmas my prayerful thought
for you is that the day may be one of truest
joy God bless you. Jesus laid down his sweet
head The stars in the sky looked down where he
lay The little Lord Jesus asleep on the... I
heard the bells on Christmas Day, their old familiar
carols play, and wild and sweet the word repeat
of peace on earth, goodwill to men. I thought
how the day had come. The bell phrase of all
Christendom had rolled along the unbroken song
of peace on earth, goodwill to men. till ringing
singing on its way the world revolved from night
to day a voice a chime a chant sublime of peace
on earth good -will to men and in despair i bowed
my head there is no peace on earth i said for
hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on
earth good -will to men Then peal the bells more
loud and deep. God is not dead and doth not sleep.
The wrong shall fail. The right prevail with
peace on earth. Goodwill to men. Jesus boy, they
made you be born in a manger. Sweet little holy
child, didn't know who you were. Didn't know
you'd come to save us, Lord. To take our sins
away Our eyes was blind We couldn't see And we
didn't know Jesus born. The world. Master, you
done showed us how Even when you's dying Just
seems like we can't do Look how we treated you.
But please, sir, forgive us, Lord. Because we
did not. Jesus born, born long time ago. Sweet
little holy child, and we didn't know. on the
spirit of Christmas, his spirit. I entered the
home of poverty, causing pale -faced children
to open their eyes wide in pleased wonder. I
caused the miner's clutched hands to relax and
thus paint a bright spot on his soul. I cause
the aged to renew their youth to laugh in the
glad old way they used to know. I cause eager
feet to climb dark stairways filled with baskets,
leaving behind hearts that are amazed at the
goodness of the world. I cause the prodigal to
pause for just a moment on his wild waste foot
away and to send anxious love, some little token
that releases glad tears, tears which wash away
the hard lines of sorrow. I enter dark prison
cells, reminding scarred manhood of what might
have been, and pointing forward, to glad days
yet to be. I come softly into the steel white
home of pain and lips that are too weak to speak
that just tremble in silent eloquent gratitude.
In a thousand ways I cause the weary world to
look up into the face of God. Into the face of
the Christ, the Son of God. And for just a little
moment, forgetting the things that are small
and wretched. I am the spirit of Christmas. Cheers.
manifold meanings of Christmas, have inspired
poets, have challenged the geniuses to paint
masterpieces. He's composed of countless sights
and sounds and emotions, a thousand emotions.
Oh, I know, that glorious air of festivity and
gladness. Around your dinner table, the laughter,
the homes glittering with tinsel, the smell of
fresh holly, and the wonderful smell of turkey.
That's a part of Christmas. The moonlight casting
its shimmering reflections against the snow.
The soft symphony of spiritual meditation. That's
a part of Christmas. The feeling of deep comfort
within the families. That emotion that transforms
a nation into one huge family. When we can forget
color and race and creed and doctrine for just
a little while. The mightiest triumph of Christmas
is the way its gentle mood captures people. Not
just a family. Not just a neighborhood, not just
a city, but an entire nation. People. Somehow,
I've come to believe that it's a mysterious communication
system that transmits happy messages to every
spirit. Not a word needs to be spoken, just a
look, just a smile, or even the blink. of an
eyelid and for just one short blessed spell strangers
are friends and the heart of a nation beats as
one great heart it's christmas day and it's a
good thing to observe christmas day it reminds
a man to set his own little watch by the great
clock of humanity, which runs on suntime. But
do you want to know something? There's a better
thing than the observance of just one day. The
observance of just Christmas Day. And that is
of keeping Christmas. And this Christmas Day,
no matter what your circumstances, no matter
how financially poor you may be, you can give
a priceless gift. Simply forgive somebody. Nearly
everyone in his innermost being, in the deep
recesses of his heart, harbors an old grudge,
ill feelings towards someone, a son who felt,
He'd been wronged, or badly mistreated, or misused.
A daughter -in -law who for years has harbored
ill feelings. A mother who could never quite
forget. Or even deeper than that, somebody somewhere
who has never quite forgiven God for having taken
a loved one. I do not know of a better time than
right now. This day of all days, Christmas Day,
go apart. Look up in the face of the Heavenly
Father. Look up through blinding tears, in spite
of the laughter on the outside, through blinding
tears of forgiveness. Ask... god to forgive you
for any bitterness you may have had in your heart
toward him lo these many years are you willing
to believe that love is the strongest thing in
the world stronger than hate stronger than evil
stronger than death and that the blessed life
which began in Bethlehem 1 ,900 years ago is
the image and brightness of the eternal love,
do you believe his word when he said, For if
ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive
not men their trespasses, neither will your Father
in heaven forgive your trespasses. If you believe
that, and if you will forgive, then, my friend,
you can keep Christmas Day and know the real
meaning of Christmas. Are you willing to forget
what you've done for other people and to remember
what other people have done for you? To ignore
what the world owes you and to think what you
owe the world. You pass this way but once. You
have but one life to live. Are you willing to
put your rights in the background and your duties
in the middle distance and your chances to do
a little more than just your duty in the foreground?
To see that your fellow men are just as real
as you are. And then try to look behind their
faces to see their hearts. Hearts that are hungry
for love. Hearts that are hungry for joy. Hearts
that are hungry to be understood. To own that
probably the only good reason for your own existence
is not what you're going to get out of life.
but what you're going to give to life. And then
close your book of complaints against the management
of the universe and look around you for a place
where you can sow a few seeds of happiness. Are
you willing to do these things today, this Christmas
day? Then, my friend, you know the real. Meaning
of Christmas. Quite sure just what you are doing
at your house this moment. Whatever it is, I
should like to be a part of it. Perhaps someone
is sitting around their dinner table. Oh, the
children have come home. You're so satisfied.
You're so happy. Sure. For some, there's a vacant
chair. Perhaps Mary didn't get home. Or maybe
it's just a vacant chair. Because that loved
one wasn't there this year. May I just come in
for a moment? I've been at your house day in
and day out all the year through. And I know
that I'm a welcome guest. And together you and
I are going to come before the Father's throne
in prayer. I want to pray. A Christmas prayer
just for you. Father God, bless that little family.
I pray the greatest prayer that I could pray
for them. Keep the children well. Keep the children
strong. But above everything else, overshadow
that little family with your love. Fold them
close to your great heart. Keep them unto yourself
and above everything else. That day when the
last Christmas has been lived, may they stand
as one before the Father's throne, I pray. A
perfect and complete family. For Jesus' sake
we ask it.