"O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray
Cast out our sins and enter in, be born in us today
We hear the Christmas Angels, the Great Glad Tidings tell,
O come to us, abide in us, Our Lord Emmanuel .
This beautiful, evergreen carol sung this festive season of Christmas, universally celebrated by Christians, brings back to us the many facets of Christmas. Once again we hear the message of the angels to the poor shepherds, proclaiming that "A Saviour who is Christ the Lord is born unto you. He will be wrapped in swaddling bands and laid in a manger."
We also hear of the bright star that shone in the eastern sky, which led three kings from Persian lands afar, following this star, to Bethlehem – the City of David. This star appeared to say that a prince is born. The three kings brought gifts to the newborn babe, who was none other than Jesus, the Son of God, divesting Himself of all the regal splendour of Heaven to be born as a human babe, to a humble mother – the Blessed Mary.
This great historical event took place in a stable in Bethlehem, 2011 years ago.
The birth of Jesus Christ could be considered as a watershed in the annals of history, demarcating two great eras – namely, Before Christ B.C. and A.D. Anno Domino, which still holds perfect, even after the passage of two millenniums. The Birth of Jesus has made a great impact universally.
The Greatest Man who sailed the Galilean Lake, walked the dusty streets of Jerusalem, climbed mountainous terrain- teaching and preaching, healing and reassuring the masses who followed Him, was none other than Jesus, the Son of God, who came to this world – so that the sons of men would become the Sons of God and this was made possible by the Supreme Sacrifice – His death on the bitter cross.
It is our frail human nature that we take so much in life for granted, never even pausing for a moment to think of the profound influence that Jesus had on the lives of the people and would continue to have on generations to be born. It is the birth of this great man that we commemorate at this time.
I wish to pick out just four areas, out of a vast number of aspects of life, which were influenced by the life and example of Jesus, to make this world a better place, than what it would have otherwise been. Respect for life, elevating the status of women and children, importance of family life and education and science to the people in society were given a new lease of life by the teaching and preaching of Jesus, as we read the Synoptic Gospels in the Holy Bible.
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| Jesus elevated the status of women as depicted in this painting of the scene where He intervenced to save a woman condemned to die by stonning. Pic courtesy twoweeksworkshop. |
In classical Rome and Greece, the infirm and unwanted babies were abandoned on hill side or forest, to be consumed by predators, or picked up by humans to be adopted. Female infanticide was rampant. These heinous crimes came to a halt in the early 19th century, with the influence of Christianity preached by the missionaries. Foundling homes and orphanages were set up to house these little ones, all over the world. To name just a few in our own country are Mother Teresa's Home, Salvation Army Home for Children, St. John's Home, St. Margaret's Home and Preethipura Home for the mentally retarded children. We could describe these institutions thus "where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door".
Jesus spoke of little children in terms such as these "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for, such is the kingdom of Heaven". Again Jesus said "verily, verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter therein."
His teaching and preaching inspired people to cherish life as sacred even the lives of the unborn. His compassion and love stretched out to the poor and needy. The deaf and dumb were healed. The blind received sight, crippled limbs were made firm, epileptics and the demon – possessed were made whole and the lepers who were ostracised from Jewish society as unclean, were cleansed and rehabilitated to society, after they were given the sanction from the priest of the temple (according to the Law of Moses). Jesus called the dead back to life as recorded in the raising of Jarius' daughter and Lazarus of Bethany. And so, it is today, that Jesus calls us from the death of sin to life eternal with Him.
Jesus elevated the status of women. Before the dawn of the 19th century, women were treated as glorified slaves, to draw water, grind corn, bear and rear children and be relegated to the home and the hearth.
To the woman caught in the act of adultery and about to be stoned to death (by the selfsame men who flung her into that situation) Jesus challenged her accusers by saying, "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone", at which the men receded with shame and guilt and to the woman He said, "Go and sin no more". From that point of time, she became a close follower of Jesus.
To the widow of Nain, who had lost her only son, He uttered words of comfort, and brought back her son to life, to the woman who touched the hem of His seamless garment seeking to be healed of a blood-disease, Jesus said "Daughter, go in peace, your faith has made you whole." To Martha in the house of Bethany Jesus said "Martha, Martha you are careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." The good part meant the knowledge of God's kingdom which Mary received by sitting at the feet of her Lord, and listening to the word of God. This surely speaks for itself, that women who are often considered the weaker sex and oppressed should be given equal status in educating themselves.
Jesus gave a great impetus to family life. The family is the basic unit of society and should be built upon sacred and wholesome values. St. Paul, the greatest evangelist, wrote his epistles, inspired by the teachings of Jesus, pertaining to family life. In the epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 5, St. Paul gives a discourse to husbands and wives saying "Husbands, love your wives – Wives submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Jesus Christ.”
Again he speaks to parents and children "Parents do not provoke your children, instead raise them with Christian discipline and instruction." As parents, our responsibilities are great in nurturing our children with wholesome values and the fear of the Lord. This brings to my mind a little verse from childhood memory, which I still hold dear, which goes "The beauty of the home is order – the blessing of the home is contentment – The Glory of the home is hospitality and the crown of the Home is Godliness".
As parents, we ourselves have to lead disciplined lives, in an undisciplined world with decadent morals and where "Wealth accumulates – but men decay".
Finally we see that education and science have also been influenced by Christianity. Some of the greatest pioneers of science for example Johannes Kepler, Blaise Pascal (a great mathematician), Alfred Whitehead – a philosopher and mathematician were devout Christians. Blaise Pascal is said to have paved the way for computers which are indispensable in the modern world. Sir Isaac Newton who was a Unitarian, and also the discoverer of the Theory of Relativity of the universe had once remarked, "This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and stars, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being".
Education for the masses originated from Christianity and dates back to the days of John Calvin – the reformer. He insisted that people should be taught to read the Bible for themselves, and the Bible still remains the bestseller in the world. Jesus Christ Himself, a great teacher, once in His childhood and boyhood sat at the feet of Gamalied – a doctor of laws in the Synagogue in Nazareth.
Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, a Man for All Seasons is Our Saviour and the Light of the World, born at this time of Christmas bringing transformation to our lives, should be celebrated not only in Time – but in Eternity. |
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