Oh, Christmas Tree!

For the last 3 years, we have been buying our Christmas Tree from a wonderful farm grower in Solihull. Not only do they stock a wonderful selection of breeds, sizes and shapes - but the prices are outstanding. So yesterday we made the annual trip, with slightly less ambitious plans. In the past we have made sure our tree is floor to ceiling, which has usually cost us over £20 (still a bargain) but this year we only spent £12. We found a perfect little beauty, amongst the nativity scene itself. I can't tell exactly what breed it is - perhaps a Scotch Pine or Douglas Fir. It is a lovely shape in a classic triangular appearance. Hopefully it will be a good needle retainer too.

I was curious what the history of Christmas trees is. The nicest story I found is this:

The fir tree has a long association with Christianity, it began in Germany almost 1,000 years ago when St Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, was said to have come across a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. In anger, St Boniface is said to have cut down the oak tree and to his amazement a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that fir trees were brought indoors at Christmas time.

However, there are less attractive theories found on the same site, from all sorts of Pagan cultures and beliefs. Like many things, Christianity takes an existing custom and transforms it into something holy and representative of our salvation. Perhaps the date of Christmas itself has this origin, being near the Pagan celebration of the winter solstice.

For me I like the comparison of the Christmas Tree with the Root of Jesse referred to in scriptures, of which we are reminded through the liturgy this Advent. Ember Friday, just before Christmas this year, has the following from Isaiah 11:1-5

Thus saith the Lord God: There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of countenance and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of godliness, and He shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears: but He shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. And justice shall be the girdle of His loins: and faith the girdle of His reins.

How wonderful! Jesse was the father of several sons chosen to be the next king of Israel, but the prophet who chose the king took the smallest and youngest farming boy from Jesse's sons: David. He arose to be the greatest king of Israel. Jesus himself is often referred to as "Son of David" because of this lineage. But to look at Jesus as a new shoot, springing from the root of Jesse, reminds us that he isn't purely of human lineage. He is anointed by God, but to do a different task from David. He ushers in the very Kingdom of God, which no longer depends on the blood of man or Jewish ancestry: but rather the Blood of the 'Lamb of God' shed for all men, and opening the gates of Paradise to anyone who is willing to be Baptised. This new kingdom is The Church founded on St. Peter, and guarded by his successors. That Church today is the Catholic Church, in union with Pope Benedict XVI. Deo Gratias!