The word “Christmas” means “Christ-birth.

” The “mas” is from the

Egyptian “mes,” meaning “to be born.” “Mess-iah” means the “(new) born
Iah” (Jah) or Jehovah—God. Pagan roots Christians may be surprised, or
even dismayed, to know that the origin of Christmas and its practices
find their roots in Paganism.
According to Gibbon’s “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” earlyChristians chose
Dec. 25 to mark the birth of Jesus to make itcoincide with the Roman festival
celebrating the Birthday of theUnconquered Sun in honor of Bacchus. This way, the
Christians avoidedattracting attention to themselves, which might lead to their
persecution. Pagan cultures in the northern hemispheres celebratedfestivals at this
time of the year, especially in agrarian societies.

The start of the lengthening of the daytime was important for growing crops.

Why December 25?

It is a fact that the early Christians celebrated the birth of theSavior for the first three
and a half centuries on March 25. In theyear 345 AD, however, Pope Julian II decreed
that henceforth, thefollowers of Jesus Christ should unite with those of Mithra and
Bacchus in celebrating the rebirth of the deity under solar symbolismat the winter
solstice. It is said that there were 136 versions of thedate of the birth of Christ.

Early Christians did not know the actual date of birth of the Savior.They observed the
festival on various dates. How they finally choseDec. 25 has something to do with the
manipulation of the calendar bythe Roman Emperors. Hence, the different dates under
the Julian andthe Gregorian calendars. The first time the definite date of Dec. 25was
chosen was in the Calendar of Philocalus in the year 354.

In determining this important date, scientists take into account thewinter solstice—the
point at which the sun is farthest south of theequator and ready to commence its
northward journey. Likewiseconsidered are the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. These
four pointsform what is called the Mystic Cross. Injecting an astrological link,the
theosophical writer Gottfried de Purucker suggests that it isbecause about this time of
the year, the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Moonand the Earth are almost always in
alignment. Thus, the life-givingforces emanating from the Sun would pass through or
near the innerplanets and the Moon.

The Virgin Birth It may come as a surprise to the Christian world thatit has no
monopoly of the concept of the Virgin Birth. Four thousandyears before the Virgin
Mary gave birth to the child Jesus, theconcept of the Madonna and Child was already
extant in Egypt as Isisholding her infant Horus. In fact, on the walls of the temple of
Luxor, as early as 1700 BC, there were carved four scenes which werereproduced in
the Gospels as first century Christian history.From India, much earlier, in 3,228 BC, to
Devaki was born Krishnamanifesting as an Avatara of Vishnu. (“Avatara” means the
descent of adivine being manifesting in human form.) Although she was related tothe
monarch Kansa, she had to flee from the kingdom with her infantson, just as Mary and
Joseph later did in the Christian Gospel becausethe king ordered that all infant boys
be put to death.Also in India, in 643 BC, Queen Maya dreamed that a six-rayed
magnificent star had fallen down from heaven and entered her womb. Shegave birth
to Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. As early as 1,500BC, in ancient Syria,
where the Babylonian and Egyptian cultures hadfused, the Semitic goddess Astarte
gave birth to Tammuz, also in theperiod of the winter solstice.

Hidden meanings One who aspires to fully understand the Bible would dowell not to
read it as an ordinary literature. The Scriptures ofdifferent religions belong to a
special category called the “SacredLanguage” or “Mystery Language.” While the
narratives may have ahistorical basis, underlying them are spiritual or occult truths.
Through the use of allegories or symbols, learned men of the ancientworld concealed
divine lore through this Orphic method. Jesus himselfmade liberal use of allegories and
metaphors in the parables which Heimparted to the multitude.

Afterwards, He would invite His chosen few, his disciples, to the“mountaintop,” there
to reveal to them the truth behind thoseparables. “Unto you it is given to know the
mystery of the kingdom ofGod, but unto them that are without, all these things are
done inparables.” (Mark 4:11) Yet, He refrained from imparting all the secretteachings
to his disciples.

Christianity, as with other religions, contains a hidden or esotericside. The early

Christian fathers and Bishops of the Church were awareof the existence of Mysteries,
called the Mysteries of Jesus, or theMystery of the Kingdom.

Knowledge bestows power Why conceal parts of the Truth from some, butreveal these
to others? It is said that allegories contain suchknowledge as bestows power which, in
the wrong hands, may be abused bythe possessor and those of his followers.

The renowned clairvoyant, Geoffrey Hodson, has expounded in his book“The Hidden
Wisdom in the Holy Bible” the esoteric significance of theallegories and symbols in the
Scriptures and offered “keys” to unlockthe secrets of the ages.

The Christmas story itself is full of metaphors—the inability of Maryand Joseph to find
a room at the inn; the birth of Jesus in a stablewith domesticated animals; the Three
Wise Men guided by a Star toBethlehem and the offering of certain gifts to the Babe in
the manger.

Nativity in our hearts While there are several layers of meanings inbiblical narratives,
for the individual, the significance of theNativity is the birth of the Christ within him.
The Christ tries toenter the heart of man (read, the inn) only to be turned away
repeatedly.

Mankind is too preoccupied with mundane matters. Indeed, as the poetWilliam

Wordsworth said: “The world is too much with us …” Every manis a potential Christ, a
bud that has yet to bloom. Awareness is thekey that will unlock this latent power.
Such expressions as “sapagkatako ay tao lamang” betrays the perceived gulf that
separates one fromthe deity. Yet one does not have to reach out to the unreachable.
Heonly has to realize the indwelling Christ within him. Rid his mind ofthe bogeys of
doubt and fear. Stop worshipping at the altar of thefalse gods of materialism,
ambition and lower desires.

Through spiritual exercises, like meditation, self-surrender andstudy, and living a life
of service to others, one can attain “untothe measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ.” (Ephesians,4:13) Very pointed allusions to the Christ in us are found in the
Bible. As St. Paul said: “… Christ in you, the hope of glory.”(Colossians 1:27). “My
little children, of whom I travail again untilChrist be formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19).
The goal of the Christianis to discover the Divine Presence within him, thus attaining
unitywith God. “At that day, ye shall know that I am in my Father and He inme and I in
you.” (John 14:20).

This is the mystical, the spiritual message of Christmas. Hark back tothe definition of
the word “Christmas.” It means “Christ-birth”—thebirth of Christ within man.
Transcending religious dogma and theologyis the “formula” of the German mystic of
the Middle Ages, Scheffler(also known by his pen name Angelus Silesius), for attaining
theinterior experience of spiritual illumination: “Though Christ athousand times in
Bethlehem be born. And not within thyself, thy soulwill be forlorn. The Cross on
Golgotha thou lookest to in vain Unless,within thyself, it be set up again.”