|
|
|
  |
| Sunday, 19 December 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
The meaning of Christmas by Christie Fernando, (Chilaw Special Correspondent) The glitter and glamour - the riot of colours - the crackers crackling and bursting in the air, (the church bells ringing), the seasonal merchandise in the commercial mart, and the birth of Jesus, herald the joy of Christmas tide.
The poor and the needy are always with us and they can be seen at every nook and corner with the begging bowl - and beseechingly entreating pleading with outstretched hands. Shouldn't we listen to their behests and voices? The proud and princely 'possessions' that the elite and the rich have, and boast of - have eluded them - for, they have nothing whatsoever to call their own except the shabby sacks they carry. They don't have a square meal - only a scrap meal of some sort - because, they are barred from entering an eating house, or call it in fashionable terms, a hotel or restaurant. How much does a decent meal cost? Does anyone care to buy a meal that an indigent man cannot afford in a restaurant? But we inconsiderately have one anytime we want. Passers-by drop a coin casually - which is scarcely sufficient to buy a poor man a decent meal. It's then, proper to focus our thoughts on the following narrative of Jesus Christ during his earthly sojourn and ministry: "For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and gave Me a drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." "Then the righteous will say "Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you? "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me. And God will say to those on His right hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Pl. read Matthew 25: 26-40) In reality, the crux of the story is: how we should share our worldly possessions and how we need to treat the sick and dying, the naked and ill-clad brethren, we see day in and day out. It's up to us to go and search for the 'lost ones, gone astray' from our earthly echelons and mansions. If we never had the joy of parting with some of our old and used clothes, money (not a few coins, but a good sum of money from time to time), rice and rations, our earthly chattels and belongings, we can never be counted to have shared our innermost joy and happiness, neighbourliness and love with the underprivileged. Let's then, experience this 'happiness' of giving away the precious things we have, not only during the Christmas season but right round the year and right throughout our lives, when it is physically possible for us. We should feel the 'pinch' of parting with something costly - for instance, a hundred rupee note or a two hundred rupee note once in a way at least! We often see the desolate and despondent ones by the road side - but nobody cares - we loathe glancing at them and often ignore them and turn away our gaze. The Good Samaritan did exactly the opposite, we read in the Bible... If people are self centred then this world will undoubtedly be a poorer and miserable place to dwell - and certainly not a haven for the rich and the have-nots to co-exist. After all, it's fair and just to give others too a chance to live equitably and without prejudice - and without hampering their mundane existence - and indeed their human conditionality for survival. We can be 'Other Christs' practising the ideals enunciated by Christ - emulate Him and accomplish what Christ admonished us to do if we only care to peruse the Bible and His Gospels for a moment each day of our lives. We can cull 'a few words of counsel and guidance' he gave to his disciples, and to practise what He preached - rather than be mere church-goers and follow none of His virtues in the end. It's fitting to remember the wise saying: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, and neither has it entered into the hearts of men, what good things God has prepared for those who love and serve Him." |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
But it's meaningless if one does not understand the joy of Christmas
which is intended to be shared collectively with the have-nots, the
downtrodden and the hapless ones.
