A strange event of a unique significance took place on the first ever Christmas night in the city of ancient Bethlehem in Israel. It was a nativity scene wholly and blissfully hidden from the eyes of the mighty secular world of that time: the Roman Empire with its tentacles of colonies which clawed in ancient Palestine itself.
But, it was indeed an exultant experience that sent ripples of song and joy to some chosen ones who were the actors. There was the humble couple of Nazareth who knew the secret of the impending birth and were ready to welcome it whatever circumstances they would be exposed to. To the mother of Jesus it had been revealed by an angel who declared this humble Jewish maid to be full of grace and highly favored by God.
Her husband Joseph though confronted with a difficult situation, was ready to assist his consort. When the birth did take place far away from home and in the backyard of an inn in a crowded city in a cold night, there were only the shepherds keeping their flocks by night in the neighbourhood who heard the good news and in their joy, hastened to where the child was to gaze at him and the new family.
Three kings from the Orient led by a strange star were on their way with gifts to declare the infant a king, a priest and a people’s shepherd. However humble the circumstances of the birth were, the appearance of this babe in the landscape of history was to leave an indelible mark on humanity. Indeed, God has become a human being and has come to pitch his tent with us. His name had been “Emmanuel” meaning, God with us.
Hedonism and consumerism
The nature of the modern world with its secular culture of scientific exploration, mass media communication, bent on a pathetic life-style of hedonism and consumerism stands in stark contrast to some of the traditional, even very profound and well-proven, spiritual, ethical and moral values that have been in vogue for ages. These are valid even today for the world of modern man.
Being impoverished of these values and with such destructive attitudes taken to the extremes, create the risk of almost dehumanisation and erosion of the quality of life socially and culturally. Materialism and subjectivism reinforced with the “dictatorship of relativism” in thinking, have spelt the wane and the bane of the present-day secular society.
Even the United Nation’s various institutions such as the WHO have recognised that integral world health absolutely needs spiritual health that comes from religious inspiration even as the activities of UNICEF that feels that all global activities for the benefit of the world of children can best be achieved only with the collaboration of the world’s religions. Hence, the vital importance that religions and their faiths play for the creation of a healthier world for children globally.
Spiritual reality
It was no less an eminent person than Albert Einstein, the world-famous physicist who himself for whatever reason said: “science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. Many radically secular thinkers, however, contest this statement, making it unnecessarily controversial in trying to interpret in their own empirical and purely rationalistic way, the mind of Einstein.
Christmas is a religious festival connected with the birth of religious personality, Jesus of Nazareth who as a rabbi and miracle-worker revealed to us the secrets of the spiritual reality that is the Kingdom of God. Nearly 2.56 billion out of the world’s eight billion population profess themselves to be Christian, thus claiming to be devout followers of Jesus, the humble carpenter’s son of Galilee: the founder of Christianity. Besides, how explain the global nature of the celebration of Christmas at every December’s end across nations, peoples, cultures and civilisations.
Christmas is in itself a seasonal culture that takes on the entire world with joy and enthusiasm, though not without the risk of it becoming a commercialised event much to the detriment of its profound inner meaning. It is the manifestation of God as redeemer of mankind bringing reconciliation among people’s and bestowing a kind of peace that He alone can give and which the world is incapable of bestowing.
The most revealing truth about Jesus of Nazareth and the kingdom he brought, was heard when Pilate, the Roman governor of Palestine during the time of the Caesar’s was told by him in no uncompromising words, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born and have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice”.
It was an imposing and very solemn declaration by Jesus at one of the most significant moments of his life just before he was about to begin his way to Calvary for the crucifixion while being presented to the people with the words: “Behold the man”.
A prophet gives a vision that is inspirational and cogent impelling people to respond in view of change and transformation that is urgently envisaged. It is in addition to serious questioning of the status quo which is highly undesirable and needing radical change, even structural. The prophecy of Christmas is in favour of the poor, the marginalised and the most vulnerable.
Fundamental dignity
In the incarnation of God which is the core-meaning of Christmas, human dignity is exalted and brought to its zenith sanctioning at the same time the whole bevy of fundamental human rights. One cannot celebrate Christmas and be faithful to its spirit, if tempted to disregard the fundamental dignity of human persons and their God-given freedoms innate in being human beings.
Societies are openly guilty of flouting human rights. Celebrating Christmas is devoid of meaning in a society that violates human rights and acts on an ideology and launches activities that dehumanise citizens. Like the Herods of old there can be threats to life in terms of laws and legislations that can be of a draconian nature completely in contravention of the authentic meaning of the democratic way of life where the ordinary civic life of citizens is under siege. No wonder then, the star of peace that shone over Bethlehem was screened off the sight of the powerful and the mighty.
The nativity scene on purpose is set in an aura of poverty and simplicity and linked to the righteous life of a very religious and humble working family. Though born in the distant and traditionally historic royal city of Bethlehem yet completely unknown to all powers that be, life too continued in the humble maritime village in a carpenter’s home lot under duress. At the start of his public life, Jesus chose as followers men, from the hard-working rank and file of the fishermen in the Galilean neighbourhood.
While traversing the villages on land, he walked on foot except when having to cross the lake by a boat offered to him. By secular profession he was carpenter’s son. Yet he could pick up symbols from the life of shepherds in presenting himself as the good shepherd in search for the lost sheep. In fact, in his self-sacrifice this compassionate shepherd had made himself the lamb taken to the slaughter for the redemption of mankind. He taught and defended a world that is in contrast to the worldly society which rests on values and judgments that are wholly mundane and earthly.
Poor as blessed
In the Sermon on the Mount now a spiritual classic, he declares the poor as blessed whilst challenging the rich to be poor in spirit and be in solidarity with the poor. Destiny would be eventually reversed for those who feast sumptuously to the neglect of the hungry poor who languish at their doors eager even to have a morsel that drops from their exquisite tables.
The self-righteous have no place in the new world he is inaugurating for which cause, Jesus Christ spared no words in condemning some of the religious leaders of his time. Laws that would contravene with the sense of humanity and kindness would be in question when these deny the needs to the poor, suffering and the afflicted. This is highlighted in the famous controversy over the rule of Sabbath over which he often confronted the religious leaders and in the tribute question to Caesar.
One cannot leave the ailing and the helpless ones to their fate without reaching out in compassion and charity towards them as beautifully exemplified in the parable of the Good Samaritan going in succor to the man who fell among robbers.
He found goodness in those who were not of his own Jewish race and even in some of the pagan Roman soldiers not hesitating to answer their pleas and reach out to some of them in healing. He was a perfect model of one who did not discriminate people on the basis of race, gender, language, ethnicity and social status. Simple sense of humanity was his criterion and motivation for relating to others and be involved in their issues of concern.
Christmas, therefore, is about the birth of one who announced a radical change in the status-quo of socio-cultural, religious and even ideological situations prevalent in his time. He desired reconciliation between the races of his time and decried discrimination of any kind. He honoured mothers who brought their children seeking his blessing and welcomed women into his company on journeys as helpers.
God becoming human being
Some women were later privileged witnesses to his words, teachings, life-events, particularly the final dramatic scenes of his crucifixion and imposing Resurrection. Indeed in the new-born Christmas-infant of Bethlehem, we stare at the stunning event of God becoming a human being which is additional reason for us to hold the human dignity of persons in the highest possible esteem.
Christmas is a prophecy about humanity and the possibility of peace for all people of goodwill. A second century Christian thinker, Irenaeus wrote, “For the glory of God is man fully alive; and the life of man consists in beholding God. For, if the manifestation of God which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the earth, much more does that revelation of the Father which comes through the Word, give life to those who see God”.
In the face of the human Jesus, we can now gaze at the face of God which earlier was just a voice heard through creation, in a burning bush or a white cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, guiding the people in exodus journeying towards the Promised Land. Indeed Christ is the Good News that God is with us for his name is Emmanu-El. Christmas embraces all people of good-will.