In “An Agnostic Grace,” I write:

And we remember Jesus Christ, symbol of all that is good in humankind, and thereby clue to the God or Gods Who May Be.

Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’s birth, is a clue to men’s and women’s desiring. People want:

• many, many things that money can buy, as the commercial aspect of Christmas attests;

• the thrill of discovery, as the idea of gifts as surprises attests;

• good food, as the culinary aspect of Christmas attests;

• close, warm relationships with family and friends, as Christmas gatherings with family and friends attest;

• not feeling bad about themselves, as the idea that Jesus came to bring forgiveness of sins attests;

• not having death undo us all, as the idea that Jesus came to bring victory over death attests.

May we, in this Christmas season, get much of what we want now, and let us make great plans to get more of what we want later.

Don’t miss other Christmas posts:

• That Baby Born in Bethlehem Should Inspire Society to Keep Redeeming Itself

• Scrooge and the Ethical Case for Consumption Taxation x

• The Aluminum Rule

• An Optical Illusion: Nativity Scene or Two T-Rex's Fighting over a Table Saw?

Also see “The Book of Uncommon Prayer” and my happiness sub-blog.