More to Christmas than twinkling lights
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By: Father Shay
Christmas is frequently a time when we look on the image of Jesus as a helpless child in an idealized nativity scene. We have to look beyond the twinkling lights and frosted greeting cards. Parents bring their children and retell the Christmas story of the shepherds, the star and magi and it all seems so miraculous that the Prince of Peace came to save the world from sin. What was more amazing and inspiring was the way he chose to do it.
The world that Jesus was born into was totally unlike our modern civilisation. Everything has changed since his day except one thing-human nature. That is what Jesus of Nazareth came to redeem. He offered a way of living that would bring fulfillment, happiness and justice to troubled people looking for a purpose and meaning to life.
Each and every one of us is surrounded by temptation, weakness and a need to love and be loved. Some of us have lost our way or perhaps we never found it in the first place.
His mission was to reveal to us the presence of the unseen creator of the universe, a giver of life, a Father of Life, to whom Jesus was bound by a powerful bond-spirit of love and fidelity. All are one.
This relationship was his strength and power and it has amazed and inspired millions to go out and be his disciples endure hardship suffering and rejection yet and they have carried his mission to the world. A mission to bring God’s love to the suffering world. Free will is what defines humanity, it can make decision for good or evil, or do nothing at all. Therein lies the cause of much suffering.
One vital aspect of His mission was to direct the human, will to the creator and redeem the sinful condition of humankind. The invitation is extended to everyone. It is a call to be one with God and oppose the shameful exploitation of one human being by another.
Jesus took on the role of a fiery prophet filled with just anger at wrongdoing and hypocrisy and challenged the oppressors to be accountable. He expected justice to be done but tempered with compassion for the weak, the humble and the repentant. He stood fast with victims of evil and was himself a victim of injustice and false accusations. His energy and life was spent on changing the way humans treated each other for he had the wisdom to understand that therein lies the path to repentance, peace and social justice. The world had never seen or experienced such a powerful character before.
He was a spiritual leader that taught by example, led by doing, and transformed people by his feelings of humanity and friendship. His friendship was available to anyone who welcomed him, the rich or the poor, the religious or military leaders, the highest cleric or the lowliest beggar, the sickly leper or the well fed tax collector. They all had a place in his heart.
He was non judgmental, tolerant understanding, patient kind and forgiving of human weakness, no accusations came form his heart or lips. Yet there was no rejection of the outcast, the wrongdoer, no discrimination against the sick, the plagued, the prostitute, the foreigner, the pagan. They were all his friends, Jesus had time to meet them, advise them, discuss challenge and invite them to renew their lives and treat others with the heart of compassion.
To experience life itself, is to be fully alive. This is the path to inner freedom and happiness and it is to be found in a strange and unusual way. Self denial, he asked total faith and self-giving.
His message was so clear by his life. He lived as he was born, a man of no property, lands, servants or wealth. Everything he had was given and immediately he gave it away. He had no interest in material things but shared them with the needy.
To be filled with the “Energy of life” is to be with these people. Not all of us can go out and be in the prisons, brothels, hospitals and streets to be with the outcasts and challenge the slavery, poverty and oppression in their lives. We can have a heart of love for them all. We can help in other ways to be in solidarity with them and those that are with them. We can and should choose to stand with them for a just cause.
They need each of us to be with them as they fight for justice and truth. We can give support and help to others who bring them to a life of dignity and love. That is what Christmas is about, learning the meaning of God’s presence in the world and how we can be with him and in Him. [End]
