The Collection: Stories of the Christian Faith
In the little park in the center of the town there was a large evergreen tree covered with colorful, bright lights that went on in the evening and remained on until the sun began to rise the next morning.
Big boxes, decorated as though filled with a present, and reindeer painted and cut out of plywood were placed in certain spots in the park. Near the reindeer was a full-size red sleigh with a manikin dressed up as Santa Claus. Smaller decorated evergreen trees stood in various spots throughout the park with a sprinkled white paint adorning the branches.
"Where is the manger?"
A hollow-faced man in a dark winter jacket spoke more to himself as he turned toward a young couple who had stopped in the park to look at all of the decorations.
"The manger?" responded the young man. "There hasn't been a manger here in the park for ten or twenty years. We have taken the religious stuff out of the public decorations. Long ago."
He grinned at the woman as he spoke.
"Yes." The latter joined in a somewhat pompous manner. "Not everyone in town is a Christian--"
"And not everyone who drives through our fine village," butt in the young man.
The woman resumed. "Not everyone is a Christian. There are a handful of other religions, and there are others who have no religion at all. Christmas is intended to be for everyone. Bringing in the Christian practices just spoils the whole mood of beauty and joy. Don't you agree?"
The hollow-faced stranger looked quickly at the two and then turned toward Santa Claus and the reindeer.
"No. I can't honestly say that I do agree. The Christmas season began first and foremost as a religious celebration of God's coming to earth as a human being, a little baby born in a manger. That is what Christmas is really all about."
The young couple looked at each other and held in a derogatory snicker as they rolled their eyes, thinking One of those! What an idiot! Where did he come from?
"Those thoughts and one's religious views have their own place ... the church. But we must keep church to itself and let the community celebrate the season in its own, joyful manner."
With that, the young man took the young woman's arm and hurried away before the hollow-faced man could speak.
An excerpt from “The Twilight Zone: Christmas.” This is part of a collection of twenty-one stories in this book that all deal with the Christian faith. From a story on a subject not included in the Gospels to a modernized version of the Good News; from challenges found in the current Church to a look into those in the future computerized world; from an understanding of the Christian faith to its effect on the lives of ordinary people; in many ways these stories reach out to draw any and every reader to be within the gentle grasp of Christ’s open arms.
Sit back, relax and enjoy these stories. Then create your own based on one simple question: how has Christ come into my life?