Do We Value the Truth? When Was Jesus Born?

Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. Irenaeus and Tertullian omit it from their lists of feasts; Origen, glancing perhaps at the discreditable imperial Natalitia, asserts (in Lev. Hom. viii in Migne, P.G., XII, 495) that in the Scriptures sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthday; Arnobius (VII, 32 in P.L., V, 1264) can still ridicule the “birthdays” of the gods.

~ Martindale, C.C. (1908). Christmas. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 21 December 21 2009 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm. Emphasis mine.

Questions:

  1. If it were important to celebrate Christ’s birth, wouldn’t the Bible have indicated the date?

  2. If it were important to celebrate Christ’s birth, wouldn’t the Apostles have celebrated it?

  3. If it were important to celebrate Christ’s birth, wouldn’t the New Testament have commanded it?

  4. If it is Christ’s birth, why do we give gifts to other people and not to Christ or the church?

  5. If Christ is God, then doesn’t He get to make the rules?

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