We associate, recognise with the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrate Christmas. We do it every year. Our fathers and forefathers have done it every year. In fact the humanity has done it over about 2000 times .
Is it just another birthday like every other that we celebrate? Is it just an occasion for Pomp and show, fun and frolic to be forgotten soon after wishing each other merry Christmas? Is there something more to it?
Every nook and corner of the earth is beset with violence. Mankind is at war with itself. Man against man, brother against brother, merciless and cruel viciously differentiated by colour, cast, creed, religion, state, language and every other conceivable difference.
Is Christmas relevant in today's world?
If it is not , it ought not be there.
If it is, then how is it relevant?
How should it influence us?
Is there something more to it than meets the eye?
To find answers we must delve into the pages of Holy Bible.
Lets us search from the beginning.
The fundamentals of Christianity rests on the promise of unlimited love, persistent patience and pardon of God Almighty.
If you look into the pages of the Holy Bible, you will find the single biggest reason. According to the book of Genesis (1-26:27) God made us in His own image, according to his likeness, ..so God made man , in the image of God He made him, male and female. ("Nammude swaroopthil nammude sadrisya prakaram manushyane undakkuka,....ingane Daivam Thante swaroopathil manushayane shrishtichu, daivathinte swaroopathil avane srishtichu."). He stresses it by repeating that he made us male and female in His image. This unbreakable bond is evident throughout the Holy Bible.
Despite, the fall from grace at the Eden, he sends man down to multiply. Despite angering Him and forcing God to bring floods he pardons mankind and saves us through Noah To rebuilding the human race and all species. He then promises us a saviour to redeem us.
What stands out is the promise God makes to man and continue fulfilling and Man's persistent consistent trespasses. In the book of Isiah 7:14. It says so clearly "that the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel"
It is under that circumstances that God decides to send his only begotten son to redeem Mankind. To understand the true sense of Christmas, the gravity of the redemption methods, and the divine purpose underpinning the immaculate conception one must also understand the times when it all happened.
In a society where women could be stoned to death on suspicion here is a young lady telling the divine messenger, As we read in Luke 1:38 " Behold the maid servant of the Lord, Let it be to me according to your word" ( Itha njan Karthavinte Daasi,Ninte vaaku pole bhavikkatte "). Despite all that can go wrong socially, with no fear of consequences, her is a young lady surrendering completely to the will of God. Is that NOT the first lesson of Christmas?
The unconditional surrender and faith in the Almighty is the first step that we associate with Christmas and eventually learn to adopt in our lives.
Then we see Lord intervening and clearing the doubts of Joseph, catering to every need and protecting Mariam and eventually leading her to deliver the King of kings in a manger.
There are two lessons for us here.
First, If God brings us to something, He will bring us through it. It's is so beautifully said in psalm 23 .The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Yahova ente idayanaakunnu, Enikku muttundakayilla)
Second, it is Not the place or conditions of birth that makes someone great. It is our life and work that makes us great or good.
Born into a carpenter's family we see Christ helping his father and at the same time taking keen interest in spiritual pursuits. Even the daily life of Christ is a ministry. Through the pages of Bible, we experience Christ as an embodiment of compassion and love bringing succour to the suffering , curing the sick and raising people from the dead. He controls the tempest and drives the Satan away . But finally In Pursuance of the prophesy, gives up his life on the cross at Calvary and is resurrected . The beauty of Christ is that whatever he preached he practised.
There are a number of contemporary lessons that the life of Christ offers us.
The test of temptation so vividly explained in Chapter 4 of Mathew and Luke sees the Son of God with all the powers vested with him, refusing to yield to the temptation of using his it for himself. "For man doesn't live by bread alone" or "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" should be a daily mantra for all of us.
When vested with powers it's so difficult Not to be tempted and so easy to test ones God. This is another great lesson that we take from Christ and his life among us.
Another important lesson that that comes across to us from the life and time of Christ is "submitting one self to the Almighty and carrying out the job assigned to us as ministry that glorifies our saviour" . Without thought to the outcome, continue doing the job assigned, with the compassion and sense of purpose our saviour taught us during his time with us on this land in flesh and blood, commit oneself to the good of the society. The story of the 5 talents (Mathew 25: 14-30) teaches us how we should conduct our daily lives in a productive manner.
We have mastered the art of "shopping list" prayer. We approach our God with a list of unending demands. Our proximity and gratitude to the Almighty somehow seems to depend on God meeting the target we have set for Him to meet our demands. While there is a school of thought that says there is nothing wrong in asking whatever we need and it's okey to remind Him, is there such a need to ask Him when he has cared for me from the day I was conceived? He who accounts for each strand of hair on my head and taught me to pray " Give us this day our daily bread" is a shopping list required? have we ever asked, God what can I do for you? Have we ever thanked him for whatever he has given us? Let us for a change start thanking Him everyday for just being able to live.
The birth of Christ was prophesied as we read in Isiah ( 7:14). Crucifixion Was prophesied ( Isiah 53:8,9) and the resurrection was prophesied. (53:10). So Is his second coming. It this prophesy that is yet to be fulfilled that makes Christmas important and christians different. We live with the hope of eternal salvation with our Lord.
Each Christmas we must remind ourselves of the unconditional love that we as mankind has experienced through his divine ministry .
It is today that we must pledge to shed our egos and lower our selves as low as the manger and prepare our hearts for our Saviour to Take birth.
It is today that we must bow to the almighty and say let thy will be done.
It is today we must pledge and rededicate our lives and work as a living ministry in glorifying our saviour.
It is today we must decide to Thank God each day.
Let every person who meet us from today feel that he or she is the wise one who travelled a life time to see the divine manger in our hearts where infant Jesus has taken birth. Let our actions speak louder than our words.
Let us be seen as compassion and care.
Let this Christmas bring forth to us the peace and joy of our saviour into our hearts and may we truly find Christ within us.
Wish each one of you and all your loved ones, a beautiful merry Christmas. May the new year be special by the presence of Almighty.
Is it just another birthday like every other that we celebrate? Is it just an occasion for Pomp and show, fun and frolic to be forgotten soon after wishing each other merry Christmas? Is there something more to it?
Every nook and corner of the earth is beset with violence. Mankind is at war with itself. Man against man, brother against brother, merciless and cruel viciously differentiated by colour, cast, creed, religion, state, language and every other conceivable difference.
Is Christmas relevant in today's world?
If it is not , it ought not be there.
If it is, then how is it relevant?
How should it influence us?
Is there something more to it than meets the eye?
To find answers we must delve into the pages of Holy Bible.
Lets us search from the beginning.
The fundamentals of Christianity rests on the promise of unlimited love, persistent patience and pardon of God Almighty.
If you look into the pages of the Holy Bible, you will find the single biggest reason. According to the book of Genesis (1-26:27) God made us in His own image, according to his likeness, ..so God made man , in the image of God He made him, male and female. ("Nammude swaroopthil nammude sadrisya prakaram manushyane undakkuka,....ingane Daivam Thante swaroopathil manushayane shrishtichu, daivathinte swaroopathil avane srishtichu."). He stresses it by repeating that he made us male and female in His image. This unbreakable bond is evident throughout the Holy Bible.
Despite, the fall from grace at the Eden, he sends man down to multiply. Despite angering Him and forcing God to bring floods he pardons mankind and saves us through Noah To rebuilding the human race and all species. He then promises us a saviour to redeem us.
What stands out is the promise God makes to man and continue fulfilling and Man's persistent consistent trespasses. In the book of Isiah 7:14. It says so clearly "that the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel"
It is under that circumstances that God decides to send his only begotten son to redeem Mankind. To understand the true sense of Christmas, the gravity of the redemption methods, and the divine purpose underpinning the immaculate conception one must also understand the times when it all happened.
In a society where women could be stoned to death on suspicion here is a young lady telling the divine messenger, As we read in Luke 1:38 " Behold the maid servant of the Lord, Let it be to me according to your word" ( Itha njan Karthavinte Daasi,Ninte vaaku pole bhavikkatte "). Despite all that can go wrong socially, with no fear of consequences, her is a young lady surrendering completely to the will of God. Is that NOT the first lesson of Christmas?
The unconditional surrender and faith in the Almighty is the first step that we associate with Christmas and eventually learn to adopt in our lives.
Then we see Lord intervening and clearing the doubts of Joseph, catering to every need and protecting Mariam and eventually leading her to deliver the King of kings in a manger.
There are two lessons for us here.
First, If God brings us to something, He will bring us through it. It's is so beautifully said in psalm 23 .The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. (Yahova ente idayanaakunnu, Enikku muttundakayilla)
Second, it is Not the place or conditions of birth that makes someone great. It is our life and work that makes us great or good.
Born into a carpenter's family we see Christ helping his father and at the same time taking keen interest in spiritual pursuits. Even the daily life of Christ is a ministry. Through the pages of Bible, we experience Christ as an embodiment of compassion and love bringing succour to the suffering , curing the sick and raising people from the dead. He controls the tempest and drives the Satan away . But finally In Pursuance of the prophesy, gives up his life on the cross at Calvary and is resurrected . The beauty of Christ is that whatever he preached he practised.
There are a number of contemporary lessons that the life of Christ offers us.
The test of temptation so vividly explained in Chapter 4 of Mathew and Luke sees the Son of God with all the powers vested with him, refusing to yield to the temptation of using his it for himself. "For man doesn't live by bread alone" or "You shall not tempt the Lord your God" should be a daily mantra for all of us.
When vested with powers it's so difficult Not to be tempted and so easy to test ones God. This is another great lesson that we take from Christ and his life among us.
Another important lesson that that comes across to us from the life and time of Christ is "submitting one self to the Almighty and carrying out the job assigned to us as ministry that glorifies our saviour" . Without thought to the outcome, continue doing the job assigned, with the compassion and sense of purpose our saviour taught us during his time with us on this land in flesh and blood, commit oneself to the good of the society. The story of the 5 talents (Mathew 25: 14-30) teaches us how we should conduct our daily lives in a productive manner.
We have mastered the art of "shopping list" prayer. We approach our God with a list of unending demands. Our proximity and gratitude to the Almighty somehow seems to depend on God meeting the target we have set for Him to meet our demands. While there is a school of thought that says there is nothing wrong in asking whatever we need and it's okey to remind Him, is there such a need to ask Him when he has cared for me from the day I was conceived? He who accounts for each strand of hair on my head and taught me to pray " Give us this day our daily bread" is a shopping list required? have we ever asked, God what can I do for you? Have we ever thanked him for whatever he has given us? Let us for a change start thanking Him everyday for just being able to live.
The birth of Christ was prophesied as we read in Isiah ( 7:14). Crucifixion Was prophesied ( Isiah 53:8,9) and the resurrection was prophesied. (53:10). So Is his second coming. It this prophesy that is yet to be fulfilled that makes Christmas important and christians different. We live with the hope of eternal salvation with our Lord.
Each Christmas we must remind ourselves of the unconditional love that we as mankind has experienced through his divine ministry .
It is today that we must pledge to shed our egos and lower our selves as low as the manger and prepare our hearts for our Saviour to Take birth.
It is today that we must bow to the almighty and say let thy will be done.
It is today we must pledge and rededicate our lives and work as a living ministry in glorifying our saviour.
It is today we must decide to Thank God each day.
Let every person who meet us from today feel that he or she is the wise one who travelled a life time to see the divine manger in our hearts where infant Jesus has taken birth. Let our actions speak louder than our words.
Let us be seen as compassion and care.
Let this Christmas bring forth to us the peace and joy of our saviour into our hearts and may we truly find Christ within us.
Wish each one of you and all your loved ones, a beautiful merry Christmas. May the new year be special by the presence of Almighty.
