Kerby Anderson

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated today. Cinco de Mayo isn’t a religious holiday, nor is it really a political holiday. Many people mistakenly think that it is Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

You may be asking why we should celebrate it at all? It isn’t like the 4^th of July in America, which is our Independence Day. It is merely a celebration that occurred in Mexico that spread to the U.S. But we do have some celebrations from other countries that most of us acknowledge. St. Patrick’s Day came from Ireland and is celebrated by many more people than the Irish.

Part of the popularity of Cinco de Mayo goes back to President Franklin Roosevelt, who promoted a Good Neighbor Policy in the 1930s. Organizers in this country in recent decades have used it to promote pride for people of Latino descent living in America.

You are free to ignore this celebration, but Cinco de Mayo shows up on our calendars each year. Perhaps your church or you can use it to promote some biblical principles. For example, Jesus instructs us to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31). You might consider what you can do to reach out to Latinos in your neighborhood by providing ESL classes or having a Spanish language service.

You could preach a message about the cultural diversity within the body of Christ. John saw a great multitude “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne” (Revelation 7:9). Today could be a day to celebrate the rich diversity in the world and encourage global missions.

I think Cinco de Mayo could be a way for you to reach out to your neighborhood.