from St. Nick to Santa

Friday December 28^th, Luke 1: 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. What!!!! Why would a loving God do something like that!!! We tend to see the world through our eyes only. We tend to look at the world and say, "what's in it for me?" Even in our Christmas traditions as we have moved from the late 1800's St. Nicholas where the emphasis was on giving to alleviate the suffering of the poor, and giving was to organizations and structures which helped the poor in this country to our present fat jolly Santa in the red suit, and gift giving to family and those you know personally. Even Santa himself was an invention of economic self-interests. He was part of an advertising campaign by the Coke-a-Cola Company. Maybe it is time to get back to a traditional Christmas celebration where the main question is not, what new must have gadget shall I get for my kids, but rather what animals shall I get through "The Heifer Project?" (www.heifer.org) for the needy in this world.  Merry Christmas to you all and may the blessings of the Christ Child be the center of your life today.