Benedict weighs in on the Christmas War

In an AP story, carried Monday by the Chicago Tribune, Pope Benedict at least indirectly entered into the current "culture war" (real or, as I think, hyped and therefore, perversely, real) over Christmas, commenting on its "pollution" by commercialization:

"In today's consumer society, this time (of the year) is unfortunately subjected to a sort of commercial 'pollution' that is in danger of altering its true spirit, which is characterized by meditation, sobriety and by a joy that is not exterior but intimate," the pope said in his traditional Sunday blessing.

I must confess that I am jaded enough to find his suggested response to this commercialization a bit underwhelming:

"Assembling the Nativity scene in the home can turn out to be a simple but effective way of presenting the faith to pass it on to one's children," Benedict added.

But then again, I wonder. Whatever else is true, His Holiness is a scholar and a sophisticated theologian. So I suspect there is more going on here than sentimental recollection by an elderly German Catholic of a favorite activity of the holiday ("holiday" here, as in holy-day) of his youth. Perhaps he is suggesting a truly counter-cultural approach: one whose very simplicity and low-tech, low-cost commonness is precisely the antidote needed.

Unless I am mistaken, I do not think that even the satanic forces of the ACLU are opposed to this sort of expression. Come to think of it, this practice would mean that we do not need to depend upon Target stores to defend the reality of Christmas.

Parenthetically, not to, um, target Target (Bill O'Reilly seems to have that covered, and covered successfully, he claims), I did stage my own, one-person boycott of Target stores in my hometown during last year's "holiday" season. Not because of their adverizing strategy (who even cares to remember?), but because they refused to let the Salvation Army station bell-ringers and red buckets at the entrance to their stores.

That aspect of Target's approach to the "holidays" seems to have flown beneath Bill O'Reilly's radar: after all why actually add substance to the defense of Christmas? It's all about PC terminology (PC, a la FoxNetwork, that is) in any case. After all, the Salvation Army (that quintessential, faith-based, charitable movement) primarily cares for the surplus population. And who needs them, anyway? A burden on the public purse (and my tax rate) and not genuine contributors to corporate bottom lines (and therefore the stock market, and therefore my retirement portfolio). If a few more freeze to death this winter, it's surely win-win. So let Target advertize Christmas, without imposing guilt or responsibility or a $.25 exit tax for the bell-ringers.

[Meanwhile, back in Rome. . . .]

His Holiness further commented:

The Nativity scene helps us contemplate the mystery of the love of God, which is revealed to us in the poverty and simplicity of the grotto in Bethlehem.

Oh, dear. That sort of an approach just might not require us to go to war, culturally speaking, for grand public or commercial displays about the true holiday. It might even be true that Christ (and therefore at length, Christmas) was born in an empire (Rome's) and a kingdom (Herod's) not prepared to give him much "room." Grottos (or stables, if you prefer) were not on the town thoroughfare: perhaps Christmas doesn't need Target's advertizing. Perhaps Christmas is better off without it.

Let's hope we don't have to destroy the holiday ("the mystery of the love of God . . . in the poverty and simplicity of the grotto"; "characterized by . . . a joy that is not exterior but intimate") in order to save it ("have a holly, jolly Christmas!" over Target's sound system).

[I hope the reader will pardon a bit of theological reflection here: the perils of being a theologian and a preacher. But Christmas at least used to be a religious affair, and a bit of theology can't hurt.]