Misyon View -- November-December 2008

Just like St Paul, perhaps the greatest of all missionaries, modern day missionaries have to use their initiative to bring the Gospel to people who might not otherwise hear it. Sometimes it involves turning a negative situation into a positive one. Columban Father Barry Cairns from New Zealand went to Japan in 1956, the year after his ordination, and was among those who bemoaned the commercialization of Christmas until he hit on a strategy of ‘If you can’t beat ’em join ’em’. He got a little help from nature, as you can read. He is currently in a parish in Yokohama City.

THE REAL SANTA CLAUS
As a missionary in Japan, the gross commercialization of Christmas here without any reference to Jesus Christ annoyed me. Beginning in early December, all of Japan’s stores are decked in bright red and, from that aura, peeks a crass Santa Claus, inviting one in.

TV commercials are also full of cotton-wool-bearded Santas urging one to buy. As a promotional stunt, a marathon is staged with all the runners wearing something of Santa. The real meaning of Christmas and Santa Claus are absent.

Some of my fellow Columbans strongly discourage their Sunday schools or kindergartens to feature Santa Claus. As for me, I decided that, rather than fight, I would join the commercial world, especially in the Santa department—but in my own way.

From early October on, my white beard remains untrimmed, so that by late December it has reached a suitable Santa Claus length. I dress up in a red Santa suit, wide belt (my midriff needs no padding!), floppy red hat and calf-length boots from my motorcycling days.

And so, I become dressed up as Santa Claus as Saint Nicholas—a real flesh-and-blood saint. Popular legend just emphasizes his true virtues. St Nicholas was bishop of Myra, located in present-day Turkey, and he died on 6 December 350. Santa’s red regalia are in imitation of Bishop Nicholas’s red cassock, and Santa’s hat is a bishop’s miter gone floppy.

A Promise of Christmas Kindness
My talk to the Japanese children, after a few ‘ho-ho-ho’s,’ goes something like this:
‘Children! St Nicholas was a man who loved Jesus. He took Jesus’ words to heart, especially about caring for little children like you. One story is how Bishop Nicholas, the real Santa Claus, heard about a father in his city of Myra who decided to sell his three daughters for cash so that he could save the rest of his family from dying of hunger. Bishop Nicholas, wanting to save the children but not wanting to embarrass the father and not wanting public credit, at night secretly threw three small bags of gold coins through the window.

‘Children! You see how the real Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, was concerned for others and helped them. He was kind and thoughtful toward others. He was generous with what he had. Today, I am dressed as Bishop Nicholas, the original Santa Claus. I am going to give each of you a gift.’ (Only here do I show my big white bag containing a small packet of candy for each).

‘Children! I have a request. Give a present to Jesus in the crib. This is the real meaning of Christmas. By giving a present to Jesus, I mean emulate Saint Nicholas, the real Santa Claus.

‘Today, do some concrete act of kindness. Be thoughtful to others. Help your mother and father at this busy time at home. Listen well and do at least one act of kindness for your brothers, sisters and friends. Be generous and share your time and your presents. Yes! Share your hearts with them. Let’s do this as a birthday present to Jesus in the crib!’

Then I ask all, ‘Yatte mimasho ka?’ (‘Will you try it?’) A chorus inevitably echoes through the church, ‘Hai yarimasu’ (‘Yes, we will’).

Finally, I choose one girl and one boy to represent all, and together we hook our little fingers together as the Japanese children’s outward sign of a promise. Then the gifts are distributed to each one with a personal word.

One year, a mother came to me and said that she wished we could have a promise like that every week. Her son kept his promise to be kind, and it made such a change in the home. It brought peace to the family at Christmas. Not only can we bring Jesus Christ back into Christmas, we also can bring a vibrant Santa Claus into our lives.

So to quote Francis P. Church’s famous 1897 Christmas editorial for The New York Sun, ‘Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.’