Black Peter

+ Everything is just about ready for Friday night - candles, great music, carols - just one more thing we need -ushers. Here is what we need: 2-4 people at 4:30 to light the candles and direct people to bulletins and small candles for the service. 2-4 people to extinguish candles after the 7pm service. 2-4 people to light candles at 10pm and extinguish them, as well as direct people to the bulletins. That is it! If you can take one of these three jobs, email me and I will put you on the list. Thank you for your help!

Today's Thought - Black Peter

Yesterday, as I was looking into Sinterklaas, I came across a bunch - I mean, a bunch - of photographs of SK doing selfies with people dressed in what looked like Beefeater costumes and - get this - blackface! I read more, and was reminded about Black Peter, a character I had heard of, but didn't know much about. It is one of those obscure and, in my opinion, very weird traditions connected to Christmas. Here is a very brief summary:

BP came about some time in the 15th century in Holland as a counterpoint to Sinterklaas. SK would hand out toys and candy, and BP would give out coal, or, in the worst cases, a knock on the head with a stick or cane. Although BP represented the devil (like Krampus - I'll get to him later this week), he was made to look like a Spanish soldier. Many Spaniards were much darker in complexion than the Dutch, and, during that period, Spain was menacing Holland. In the 19th century, BP was often portrayed as an Indian or African in traditional clothing, but over time, in tattered clothing and chains, suggesting that SK had won the battle of good and evil, and now BP was his (dark skinned) slave. It is widely believed that American Christmas in the 18th century was influenced by the large Dutch presence in New York, and the tradition of Santa Claus was born from Sinterklaas. And who can forget the heartwarming scene in "Miracle on 34th St" when a young Dutch girl sings with Kris Kringle in her native language - very sweet.

Like the Austrian tradition of Krampus, the idea that Santa has an evil counterpart is far more appealing to me than believing that Santa gives both good and bad gifts. It also seems pretty frightening; a demonic being, often dark skinned (hmmmm), waiting to do you harm if you don't behave yourself. It is just one more way in which people have tried to scare kids into behaving themselves as the birth of Jesus approaches. It seems really strange to me that this is necessary, and yet, so many cultures do it. I have to wonder why.

Here's one thought - the story of the birth of Jesus, when we really consider it, is extremely difficult to accept. The idea that God would come to earth as a baby, rather than a buff warrior, is seems counter-intuitive. In fact, we have seen Jesus turned into a warrior by many Christians. They portray Him leading Christian soldiers into battle and fighting the devil in hand-to-hand combat. Jesus as war hero fits into our "might makes right" belief system, and He was, horribly, used by imperialists to support the idea that God was on their side in their lust for power and land. To accept the concept that God needed people to help Jesus live past the age of two makes God seem weak or crazy, and we just can't accept that.

I don't think God is weak or crazy; I do think that we are in relationship with God, and we need to have some skin in the game. The story of the birth of Jesus isn't about God doing for us, or defending us from evil, or proving us right; the story of Jesus is about God being with us, being one of us, being like us in every way except for sin. What better way for God to truly understand us than to be nurtured at His mother's breast, raised in a family with siblings, and get reprimanded by His parents? It is far easier to buy into silly stories than to delve deeply into the mystery and challenge of the baby prince of peace. And yet, we will do just that this coming Friday. Take some time to learn the truth about Christmas. Save the costumes for Halloween.

Prayer - We are so excited, God of hope and possibilities, for this week. Keep Christ in our view as we prepare for His birth again. Amen.

Today's picture is of two women dressed up like Black Peter. Photo by Archibald Ballantine - originally posted to Flickr as pieten?, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8792248

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