Christmas wishes

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

And it's someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And thats faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child that saved this world
And there's 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

-- Goo Goo Dolls, "Better Days"

I love this song enough to forgive the "Cuz." It's beautiful, both musically and for its message.

I've found that the message of this song rings true for me this year. I don't want things. I'm perfectly content with the material things I have. In fact, I have too many. I wish I could get myself to part with some of them. No, it's definitely peace and love that I'm longing for this year, even if my motives are selfish. I'd be so much happier if people could just get along. We all would.

The main message of this song is not what is most intriguing about it. It's not at all uncommon to hear a Christmas song expressing a desire for peace, although it's less common in secular music, I think. What's unusual is the line that says, "and desire and love and empty things." I'm not sure I've ever heard someone say that we don't need love. However, I suspect he means that love is not enough. I suppose it's just another version of the faith vs. works debate that rages in Christianity. Is love (faith) enough? No. What good does it do to say that you love the people around you and then just leave them to fend for themselves? I think the word that is translated as "charity" in some versions of the Bible is translated as "love" in others. I should think that would get the message to people, at least Christians. I admit that I feel like a bit of a hypocrite writing this, because I of all people do not volunteer or contribute to charity in any sort very often. Of course, acting out love doesn't necessarily mean contributing to charity -- there are many other ways to do it, including, I believe, sometimes just talking to a friend.

Ahem. Now that I've ranted and raved a bit, I have one final question: How can we, as Christians or even as people, change our actions? I'm not sure that we're acting (or not, as the case may be) out of apathy, which is what people blame our lack of charity on so often. It seems that we care, but we're either a) not quite fired up enough about it, or b) unsure of what to do. For me, it's been choice b. Well, and a bit of cynicism ... but I've written way too much about this already. Suffice it to say that I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to this, but it does aggravate me to see it happening.

Anyway, merry Christmas! Sorry about the gloomy post.