I am a secular non-observant Jew, but strange as it may seem, Christmas is one of my favorite celebrations. Go beyond the supernatural aspects, the mythology, and the historical inaccuracies, and the Christmas story, which purposefully coincides with the Northern Winter Solstice, tells us that the birth of every child is a miracle and a new beginning, heralding the potential dawn of a new era, and that every newborn child is a messenger of peace and redemption. And, if we choose to look at it that way, that every child is the Son or Daughter of God. While the Christmas story singles out one child for adoration, the underlying message is that every child -- even a child born to poor and struggling working class parents, even a child belonging to a despised and oppressed people whose ancestral lands have been militarily occupied by a foreign power, even a child born in a hovel in Palestine -- should be considered a King of Kings, more worthy of our honor and devotion than any of the materially rich and powerful kings, presidents, and corporate and military leaders of our world.
Amen. The sermon is over. Have a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a blesséd Solstice, a good Kwanzaa, and above all a sweet and peaceful New Year.