I helped a friend of mine cut a Christmas tree the other day.  It was a balsam fir, a lovely, fragrant, symmetrical tree.  Native to North America, in Canada, balsam fir ranges from Newfoundland to Alberta. 

When I was young, I loved going off into the woods to cut balsam fir Christmas trees with several of my buddies.  We would make a day of it.  Set a fire, beans and bacon, homemade bread, and some fresh coffee or tea – sweetened of course with Carnations condensed milk.

Christmas is a time when we bring the evergreen of the forest into the warmth of our homes.  At a time when the days  shorten and the nights lengthen, when all the leaves have fallen and much of nature readies for the sleep of winter, we decorate our doors with springs of green branches and fill a welcome corner of our homes with the evergreen tree.

Christmas is also a time when we pass through the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year.  The winter solstice occurs annually between December 20 and 23.  This year in Vancouver we celebrated the winter solstice on December 21 at 3:12 AM.  The day length was 8h, 10m, 59s, the shortest day of the year.  The next day we enjoyed a longer day of 8h, 11m, 4s – an increase of 5 seconds.  Take heart, the days are getting longer. 

It is not without reason that Christianity decided to place Christmas at this time of the year.  As the people of the Northern Hemisphere celebrate the return of the sun to the boreal skies, Christianity celebrates the birth of "the light of the world."  And into our homes is brought the tree that remains green throughout the death of winter.  Christianity celebrates the Life that has come into the world to heal us, to save us, and to lead us to true life, even everlasting life. 

Life and Light – that's what we celebrate at Christmas.  The cosmic signs and natural rhythms lift their voices in honour and praise of the Life and Light of the World. 

At the heart of our faith seems to be this relentless thrust toward life – human life, ecological life, planetary life, … spiritual life, eternal life.  Jesus said that he has come so that we may have life – and life to the full.  The spiritual life does not focus on "spiritual things," but on all things and ways that promote life in its fullness. 

Salvation is cosmic.  All is included.  Nothing is left out. 

We celebrate Christmas in the dead of winter with the evergreen tree firmly rooted in our homes and the evergreen wreath of welcome on our doors.  Christmas witnesses to our belief that even in the midst of the darkness, death and cold of winter lies the secret hint of light, life and warmth.