One after the other, the colorful figures are loaded onto the back of the truck. First the lamb, legs folded gently under, is placed aboard, and then come the shepherd and the reverent wise men from afar, and then the dutiful father dressed in the clothes of a humble workman. Last of all, the gentle and adoring young mother is tucked away, there in a corner with her joyful infant resting on a bed of straw.

Another Nativity scene has been removed from our public life. As the worker slides the door shut, the figures are shrouded in deep darkness; and he ponders for a while if he has removed something more than a simple holiday decoration.

This year towns throughout Maine will be holding "Festivals of Light" instead of observing Christmas. One such festival is called the "Light a Candle Festival" and will be held in Bar Harbor. The festival is intended to be inclusive; and inclusive it will be, since those who attend will have their choice of a movie, a magic show, face-painting, or belly dancing.

Such Festivals of Light purport to advance the cause of religious pluralism and tolerance. And once again, everyone but Christians will be offered a place at the table. That is because another force is at work besides multiculturalism. In a society given over to pagan values, a Festival of Lights is more useful and practical than a nativity scene.

The stillness of a chill, starry night exposes our barking commercialism as cheap and tawdry. The bliss in Mary's warm smile gives the lie to those who look to material goods for happiness. Joseph's steadfast loyalty causes an ache in the heart of a nation of broken families, a nation which proclaims sexual license as a right of both men and women. The image of the Christ child radiant with divinity and vulnerable humanity offends those who believe in a woman's right to choose.

At a Festival of Lights, the public sees the world much as an agnostic sees the wintry night sky. Alone in the infinite void, the non-believer sees stars twinkling brightly, a momentary distraction from a world without meaning and a life that has been desanctified.  In his despair, he is consoled by the belief that he is at least a free-thinker.   

And that is the deeper significance of the Festivals of Light. To believe in everything is to believe in nothing. A society which seeks to be all inclusive must necessarily exclude all unifying principles. In the end, the only value left is a self-flattering open-mindedness. The glittering stars and candles delight the eye, but leave the soul empty.
 
All these festive trappings blind one to the real light. The nativity scene, which our society has so carelessly tossed aside, is more than a lesson in humility, human dignity, and family devotion. It is the answer which heals the longing of each human heart, the light which fills and erases the infinite void. And that is the great tragedy of our age. We have said to Jesus and His mother, "Move along, we have no room for you here."

Let us pledge this Christmas to do all we can to make the story of the Nativity the center of our public celebrations.