“Christmas is the feast of faith in hearts that become a manger to receive him and souls that allow God to make a shoot of hope, charity and faith sprout from the stump of their poverty”. Pope Francis

Jesus was born into a world of hostility toward truth, a world infatuated with sin, a world full of broken people who want to rule themselves. Nothing about the coming of Jesus to our world was what people expected. Israel was waiting for a mighty ruler, a great political and military leader who would free them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. Perhaps they envisioned a fully armored mighty man of power riding into their cities on an amazing white stallion with battalions of aggressive soldiers at his side. However, the Prince of Peace came into the world as a stranger. Jesus arrived as a tiny babe born to a woman of common status in a dirty animal stable in Bethlehem.  He was born in a hostile world.

The birth was announced – not to kings and princes, but to humble shepherds watching over their flocks in nearby fields. Jesus came to us as the most valuable and precious gift that God the Father could have ever given. With the birth of Christ, the Prince of Peace, Emmanuel or God with us, we are supposed to experience the peace and joy of Christmas.

Jesus did what no man could have done – He left His home in heaven to come to earth and give His life for the sin of the world. Christmas celebrates the Savior and the sacrifice that He made so that mankind could have restored fellowship with God.

However, with the passing of time and worldly subversion, the reason and significance of CHRISTMAS has been mostly lost. A secular and materialistic world has embraced Santa, elves, glamour, parties, shopping, feasting, drinking, and excess. Christmas is made to be so commercial, so business like, so mechanical.

Christ is replaced by Santa in many places! In other words, humble Christ in the manger is forgotten over flashy Santa put up by the business class! These days you go to any mall…you will see, the Santa section, set up in the marketplace with decoration, flashing lights, and loud music overwhelmed by people, noise, and excited activity!! The manger scene nearby is with no tinsel, no serious lighting, no music; standing quietly alone, unattended, unpopular, and mostly ignored. In schools, offices, families, and even churches one finds pomp and a display of commercial Christmas! Of course, an attitudinal change is visible everywhere. Business matters!

Is it any wonder people look to Christmas as an escape from the drudgery of their everyday life? They can indulge themselves in the glitter of the Christmas season. For a time, their world can be a ‘make believe wonderland’ removed from the troubles that dampen them the rest of the year!

Regardless of this there is an absence of peace and love among a considerable majority of people. There are wars and violence, hatred and prejudices among people. Added to this, people are led by leaders who have no compassion and love. Many such leaders are self-centered and selfish as was at the time of Jesus. Empathy and compassion are alien to such leaders. We see oppression and repression, violence and hatred, denial of dignity and division among people, falsehood and fake news, manipulation, and religious fundamentalism and fanaticism are thriving everywhere.

Religion is becoming more ritualistic and political. Rites and rituals have taken prominence over Christ and Christian values. Religious leaders are more of politically motivated than the charisma and spirituality of religions. They want positions and powers, hobnobbing with corridors of powers at the cost of the poor and the marginalized.  In many cases religion is used as a political weapon to divide and rule by the powerful class. Emotive and hollow slogans and created stories are replacing the actual religious principles and teachings. Religion, instead of remaining as a binding force bringing people together, is becoming more of a dividing force in the hands of wrong leaders, both religious and political. As nations go through political turmoil, wars, natural disasters, and pandemics, hope among their citizens begins to diminish.

Therefore, Christmas cannot be like an inflated balloon that is filled temporarily for few days and will burst after a season. It cannot bring depression and despair, suspicion, and hatred all over again. If Christmas for you is nothing more than such a temporary escape into a world of make-believe, you also are without hope. In reality, Christmas brings hope for a peaceful, compassionate, loving world in which we are all instruments of goodness and peace. Christmas is for all, and Jesus came to teach us that we can all become like Christ. Yes, focusing on the real meaning of Christmas gives people hope, because they know that Jesus came to earth to give them an opportunity to have a relationship with Him, and to give those who accept His salvation and believe in Him an eternal hope.

In Galatians 5:22 St. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This Christmas brings us a message of hope in a troubled world. It is the message of Christmas, that tells us fervently that Jesus is ever present, humble, waiting, and available. Yet He will never force His way in. There’s no fanfare, no sales pitch, and no compulsion to believe. However, what God offers us is the most amazing gift. A gift more valuable than finest gold, more lasting than time itself, more love-filled than the greatest love story ever told: Jesus Christ.

Amidst the ongoing war and violence in many places, there are uncertainties. There is darkness all around but, we hear the message of Christmas, “Stop being terrified for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people, for today in the city of David a Savior was born to you, who is Christ the Lord.”(Lk: 2:10)

“Christmas is the feast of love incarnate and born for us in Jesus Christ. He is the light of mankind shining in the darkness, giving meaning to human existence and to the whole of history,” reminds Pope Francis.

Allow God to capture your attention this CHRISTMAS as you consider again the entry of Jesus Christ into the world. Today the world is desperately in need of God’s love, peace, joy, acceptance and forgiveness.  It is the world that He came to save. (John 3:16). Be hopeful and joyful for He is among us, Emmanuel!