Well, there you have it. A little baby boy is born in a little out of the way spot in a little out of the way town in a little country that’s not even really a country anymore. Were it not for the stories told by Matthew and Luke, it is seriously doubtful that the world would even know about this one, little birth. But we do know. And we celebrate it every year, in a pretty big way, I might add!

There’s a popular song of this season that was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane in 1943 for the film Meet Me in St. Louis, in which Judy Garland starred. Here’s how it goes:

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

It’s a great song, what with its sentimental yearnings about dear friends and good old days, and such. But I’ve always had a problem with one little word in the lyrics: the word “little.” What, I ask you, is so little about Christmas? You’ve heard plenty today about the Christmas story, but let me add just a few more thoughts that Luke tells us were spoken by the father of John the Baptist a few months before Christmas itself:

“Then [John’s] father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’”

It seems to me that Christmas is a very big deal indeed! In fact, I don’t see how you can get much bigger! Three decades after he wrote his little song, Hugh Martin accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and his Savior. He is now in his nineties, and living right next door in Encinitas. In 1996, Mr. Martin wrote a different version of his song, and it captures the spirit of the season a little—no, a lot—better, I think!

Christmas future is far away,
Christmas past is past,
Christmas present is here today,
Bringing joy that will last.

Have yourself a blessed little Christmas,
Christ the King is born,
Let your voices ring upon this happy morn,
Have yourself a blessed little Christmas,
Serenade the earth,
Tell the world we celebrate the Savior’s birth.

Let us gather to sing to Him,
And to bring to Him our praise,
Son of God and a Friend to all,
To the end of all our days.

Let us all proclaim the joyous tidings,
Voices raised on high.
Send this carol soaring up into the sky,
This very merry, blessed Christmas lullaby.

Son of God and a Friend to all,
To the end of all our days,
Sing hosannas, hymns and hallelujahs,
As to Him we bow.
Make the music might as the heav’ns allow,
And have yourself a blessed little Christmas now!

So now, “May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace, this Christmas, and always.”

Amen.

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