Part 1: Why Did Charles Dickens Write a Ghost Story for Christmas?

A Christmas Carol has been adapted into movies and retold so many times that we simply associate it with Christmas without any further thought. But did it ever seem odd to you that when Charles Dickens decided to write a story for Christmas, he wrote a ghost story? 

What about this reference in the song “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” sung by Andy Williams: 

There'll be scary ghost stories
and tales of the glories
of Christmases long, long ago

Dickens wasn’t the only author who wrote ghost stories at Christmas; it was already a long-standing tradition. But why would anyone tell a ghost story at Christmas?

The visitation of Scrooge’s former partner, Jacob Marley, serves first as a reminder that our souls continue to exist after we die, second as a warning that there are eternal consequences for how we live our lives now, and third that as long as we are alive there is still hope. The visitations of each of the three ghosts give Scrooge the chance to reflect on his life, the effects of his actions on those around him, and the ultimate consequences of his current actions. This is the self-reflection that Victorian ghost stories were intended to encourage. 

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Savior. Advent is the time of preparation for this and it’s time that we’re supposed to spend partly in self-reflection: where are we spiritually, where is God in our lives, what changes do we need to make so that when we die we go to heaven? For those who have doubts or have fallen away from God, it’s a reminder that where there is life there is hope and the potential to change. That hope serves as a call to conversion and repentance and this is what Scrooge responds to with his burst of generosity. He rejects his miserly ways by providing for the poor and starving Cratchit family with food and money, and gives Bob Cratchit time with his family instead of demanding that he work excessive hours.

If we think of Advent and Christmas as a time when everyone is supposed to be nice to each other and give presents, then we only see Scrooge at the end and miss the point of the story.  

 

Next: Why is “A Christmas Carol” an Intentionally Christian Story?

Why the blog is called “Macrina’s Legacy”

All of the contributors to the blog are women who love the Catholic Faith and have at least a Master's degree. The blog started at the suggestion of a number of friends who wanted to know more about the Bible and Catholicism than we had time for during get-togethers (no matter how long or late into the night the discussions went!). So our posts are our attempts to explain the teachings of the Catholic Faith and how to put them into practice with the hope that this will inspire others to grow in knowledge, love of God, and holiness.

This blog is for catechesis, or teaching the sure foundations of the Catholic Faith, and that must always be done in charity. Questions and discussions on all topics are welcome, but singling individuals out for criticism over their imperfections or perceived lack of holiness will not be allowed. Political and religious persons are often discussed in this way on news sites, other forms of social media, and political blogs, but that is inappropriate for this blog and comments of that nature will be deleted.

Who is Saint Macrina?

Two of Macrina's younger brothers are much more widely known: two of the three Cappadocian Fathers, St. Basil of Caesarea and St. Gregory of Nyssa. What we know about St. Macrina is partly from tradition, but mostly from her biography written by her brother Gregory after her death. Two of the things that he emphasized were her use of reason and her love for God, but he also made sure that she was given proper credit for her influence on their brother Basil. When Basil first returned home after completing his education, Gregory described him as being slightly puffed up with his own importance. It was Macrina who reminded her younger brother that the purpose of the education that he'd received was to put that knowledge and his gifts at the service of God and His people. It's because of her talk with Basil that Gregory gave Macrina the credit for putting St. Basil on the track to holiness; he knew that sometimes the only person who is able to really get through to you is one of your siblings. 

Macrina lived in the fourth century AD, before any formal religious orders were established. She established a community of women in her family home which was similar to the way women's religious orders are organized today. She placed great emphasis on the use of reason, and in particular the importance of subjecting the emotions (or passions) to reason instead of letting the emotions rule the person. Her biography draws great attention to this because the effects of the Fall make it so difficult to do, but the ability to do so as habitually as she did is an indication of holiness. At one point during her funeral, many of the women of her community became very vocal in expressing their grief. Her brother Gregory literally stopped the funeral to chastise them for their loud weeping and wailing, reminded them that Macrina would never have condoned that behavior, and refused to continue with the funeral until they quieted down and exercised control over their expressions of emotion. 

(Side note: if praying to St. Gregory for his intercession, it’s probably best not to make the appeal an overly emotional one)

If you want to know more about Saint Macrina, you can visit her page at New Advent here or read her biography, The Life of Saint Macrina