Today is Christmas eve…. Just now, I went to BinJiangDao (shopping street) to get some Christmas gifts, and to see how is the Christmas celebration here in Tianjin. I heard from a friend that during Christmas eve, BJD will be packed with people. It so happens that at the end of this stretch of shopping stores, stands a beautiful Catholic church. I heard many people will be there attending the Christmas service. My own church doesn’t have any service today because the government is quite strict about how Christians have their gatherings. So we had our Christmas celebration last Sunday.
So anyway, today I went to BJD from around 3pm to hunt for some gifts for tomorrow’s Christmas party, and was expecting to catch a glimpse of the celebration in the evening. I was curious as how happening this place will be.
Later on, what I saw was really shocking… By 6pm people started crowding the streets, and many people stood by the road trying to sell their decorative hats, masks, etc. Many people (mostly young people) came wearing devil horns, tails, and various masks from those pretty opera-like mask, santa mask, to devil masks. By nightfall, I saw a sea of people pouring into the street with glitters from their small horns and many other decorative lights. I cannot tell whether this is Christmas or Halloween. It was just sooo opposite to the real meaning of Christmas.
I felt a little bit angry why there was not a single celebration that conveys Christ?! Sooo many Christmas trees, so many decorations, but none, none shows anything to do with Jesus. It was only the shimmering lights and pretty views of brightly lit street. I did not see even one statue or picture about the birth of our Savior.
I don’t know what is going on inside the Catholic church because there were police barriers there, and only certain people were allowed to go in. But what I saw on the street was enough to show that most of the people here really are just celebrating Christmas like just another public holiday. They were there just to have fun. I feel angry and sad at the same time. I imagine how He would feel to see the ones He loves is behaving so treacherously.
I wish and hope that someday these people will eventually see the way to salvation. I guess that’s my homework tonight, to pray for this godless nation…
