Author's Note: All previous studies of this series are here. The first 56 studies are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring studies 57-113, was published in December 2022.
Thanks for joining our first Christmas Eve Bible study. This confluence calls for a gift to my dear, loyal readers who keep this study going with your weekly clicks — beginning its fifth year in Feb. 2024. However, this gift is in your heart and mind, not under the tree. It is a soul-searching exercise asking, “What does Christmas Eve mean to me?”
Your answer could be painful, joyful, or a mix of both, but contemplate emptying your heart to the Lord through prayer. Additionally, you could share this “soul-searching exercise" with family or friends to foster meaningful discussions.
To help facilitate your answer, I posed the title question to two distinguished friends from varied faith traditions. First is Dr. Jerry Newcombe, who has authored/co-authored 33 books —19 of which were written together with the late great minister D. James Kennedy. Jerry guest co-wrote our Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 studies this Christmas season. Here is his response to “What Does Christmas Eve Mean to Me?”:
“Christmas Eve touches my heart deeply. The essence of Christmas is the incarnation of Christ, that God became a man. He humbled Himself in order to save us. My wife is from Norway, and she serves rice porridge as the main meal on Christmas Eve to symbolize the humility of Christmas.
“Then, at night on Christmas Eve, we enjoy a beautiful worship service with touching music, like ‘O Holy Night.’ But the climax is when the choir comes out with candles among the congregation and sings, ‘Silent Night.’ To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, if Jesus had never been born, it would be ‘always winter, but never Christmas.’” [Note from Myra: Jerry co-wrote “What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?” with D. James Kennedy.]
Our second answer is from a Catholic priest, Rev. David G. Caron, OP, D. Min. He is V.P. of Spiritual, Cultural, and Staff Development at Cross Catholic Outreach. This effective ministry fights poverty in 30 countries. Father Dave wrote:
“Christmas Eve for me has always been a time of deep prayer and action, hoping for the One who is peace to keep coming into the hearts of people as he did on the first night to shepherds.
“Before my Christmas Eve masses — where I and others help to ‘make Christmas happen for worshippers’ — I would visit hospitals, nursing homes, and the homebound to see people who would be alone on Christmas and bring the hope of the Incarnation. For many of these, the song ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ was not true. My message and prayer then and now is that we possess the simple hearts of those Bethlehem shepherds to hear and embrace the good news of Jesus’ birth. Then, we share this hope with others.”
Now it’s time for your humble Bible study writer to tackle, “What does Christmas Eve mean to me?” My answer stems from a complicated mix of confusion and depression, with a happy ending. I’ll start with confusion.
Growing up Jewish, my parents (not religious but culturally Jewish) did not celebrate Christmas. Hence, I felt left out and empty when I was old enough to realize this, especially around age 10, after learning that Jesus was Jewish. When I asked my mother why we did not celebrate Christmas, she said, “Because Jews don’t believe in Jesus.” End of discussion. Instead, we engaged in the traditional Jewish Christmas Eve — dining at a Chinese restaurant and going to a movie theatre.
Then came depression. By the time I was in high school, I dreaded Christmas and remember feeling sad and blue. But hope arrived at age 15 when my boyfriend invited me to attend Midnight Mass at his local Catholic Church — St. Joseph’s in Needham, Massachusetts. I was double-thrilled because it was my first time attending church on Christmas Eve. My parents allowed me to go, thinking it was a cultural learning experience. But as I was leaving, my very non-religious father yelled his caveat, “Do not kneel.” (Clueless, I did not know that kneeling was involved.) And off we went.
Recalling this Christmas Eve experience from over 50 years ago, my memory is as clear as if it happened yesterday. St. Joseph’s was a magnificent old church decked out for the season — bathed in candlelight with angelic-sounding music. Of course, I did not understand what the mass was about, but that did not matter. I was there! I was celebrating Christmas Eve like a “normal” person! Most of all, I felt at peace and overjoyed to soak up the experience as an outsider. Obeying my father, I did not kneel because I was afraid of what might happen if I did. Moreover, I do not remember praying since I did not know how or to whom I was supposed to pray.
That evening, what Christmas Eve meant to me was "hope." It was teenage hope that I would be free to worship as my heart desired when I grew up. And today "hope" is my one-word answer to the title question. Thus, I was moved when Father Dave wrote:
“My message and prayer then and now is that we possess the simple hearts of those Bethlehem shepherds to hear and embrace the Good News of Jesus’ birth. Then we share this hope with others.”
On Christmas Eve 1971, I felt that hope before I knew anything about Jesus Christ or had opened a Bible. Now, I recognize that Jesus was planting a seed that would grow into my unique, life-long faith journey.
Tonight, I pray you will answer the question posed by the title. Perhaps you will “plant a seed” in dear ones who have never attended church on Christmas Eve or any day. I wish you all a Merry Christmas — which means to “send Christ” — rooted in the Latin verb “mittere”—“to send.” Are you ready to receive Him?
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57-113. Order it here.
Myra is also the Executive Director of SignFromGod.org and the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit. Both are educational donor-supported ministries dedicated to building a permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C. Visit the life-sized Shroud replica in D.C. Contact: MyraAdams01@gmail.com.