Many of you are probably lighting your advent candles or eating that first piece of chocolate from your calendar. This is a special month for Christians around the world. It’s also a Holy month for many other religious and spiritual traditions: Hanukkah (Jews), Bodhi Day (Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Jains), Yule (Pagans & Wiccans), Kwanzaa (African heritage), Ashura (Muslims), and countless others practiced by indigenous and spiritual communities across the country and around the world. December is a ‘UNIVERSAL’ time of reflection, connection, and celebration of the sacred in a richness of culture and diversity. ALL of these point to our common search for meaning, hope and connection to something greater than ourselves. Recognizing and celebrating our diversity enriches our understanding of the human experience. It reminds us that faith and self-discovery are not confined to a single path but are journeys we all walk, often in parallel.
So, when I see the ‘Merry Christmas’ vs ‘Happy Holiday’ debates showing up on socials, it makes my skin crawl. How arrogant must we be to think ‘our Holy Day’ must be exclusive? How ignorant to suggest those ‘other’ Holy Days are not worthy of our respect? I think we’re missing the point and a huge opportunity to deepen the understanding of our own traditions.
This time of year is an invitation to step beyond the confines of our own traditions and acknowledge the depth and beauty of our collective journey of faith. Every person’s spiritual path deserves dignity, celebration and love. Inclusivity means we celebrate our shared light, shining through all our traditions – illuminating the best of what it means to be human.
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Happy Everything.
Nancy