Christmas is not an old story but a new beginning
A fresco depicting angels appearing to the shepherds (Shepherds’ Fields Church, Bethlehem) Pic courtesy BBC
Today is ‘Christmas Day.’ Perhaps this may be your 25th, 50th or 75th annual Christmas. Is it going to be just another Christmas for you?
Let me relate an event that took place in a hospital on a Christmas Day, a few years back.
A little girl of a poor family became ill just a few days before Christmas. As she was lying on her sick bed in hospital, she heard the famous Christmas carol, ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’ from a radio in a nearby ward. She was touched and exclaimed with childlike faith and joy “My Jesus is born, My Saviour is come. He will heal me. Soon I will go home and rejoice with him. My healer and saviour.”
Then she turned to the nurse who was attending on her and said “Aunty, isn’t it wonderful! Jesus is born!” But the nurse’s weary reply was “Yes, that is an old story.”
Perhaps, this nurse like some of us, had never searched for true peace and happiness in Jesus, had never tasted the exuberance, joy and peace that Jesus brought. The little girl was at peace and happy in her faith in Jesus. For her Christmas was not an old story but a new beginning – a new story.
Message of angels
to the shepherds
Unlike the little girl, the shepherds who were watching their flocks on a cold night were frightened. The gospel of St. Luke says that the angels of the Lord appeared and the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said, “Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring to you, the news of great joy. Today, a saviour has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.” The shepherds trusted God and the words of the angels and went hurriedly to Bethlehem, saw the child, lying in a manger. They returned gladly to their flocks, glorifying and praising God (Luke 2:8-20).
They had no gifts to offer, except the gifts of simplicity, humility and poverty. But they too like the little girl recognised the Lord as the saviour and worshipped and honoured him.
Sometimes we are also badly affected by our fears, particularly in these difficult days in Sri Lanka with many uncertainties and crises, food shortages, lack of fuel and gas and power failures etc. We are kept in the dark about our future. But we must not allow these fears to terrify us or to cripple us.
Christmas fears
Christmas time could also bring us fear and anxiety. Extra work and more expenses, fear of advancing age with infirmities and insecurity, the inability to meet Christmas demands of children and family, the inability to forgive a neighbour, to recover from illnesses one suffers, failure to rebuild a broken relationship with spouse or parents, the fear that comes with failing exams etc. But during the season of Christmas, fear can be an opportunity, even a grace. It can force us to trust in God, rather than in ourselves.
Christmas challenges us to enter into an intimate true relationship with God, in Jesus – with the Child. Only in trusting will we receive love and more love. What we have to do is to move from fear to faith and doubt to trust. Trust is a virtue that helps us to turn fear into faith. Trust is what gives us hope, and somehow it is easier to trust in God at Christmas than at any other time because we feel that God is very close to us in the form of a child. We can approach the child with love and affection – the child who is our Saviour, our Lord and Master – the child who is our God. Surely, no one could be afraid of a child, so innocent, loving and smiling.
Christmas awakens our deepest longings which only God can fulfil. We must not allow our fears to prevent us from opening our hearts to the great joy and peace announced to the shepherds by the angels. Do not fear. Be courageous. God is with you, Emmanuel. Let us open our hearts to God who is with us, in a special way today on this ‘Christmas Day.’
Christmas miracles
Much has been said about the beautiful story of Christmas during the last 2000 years or so. As we celebrate Christmas, it also reminds us that God comes to us with surprises, miracles or even troubles. God is with us. As it happened in the first coming, he brings puzzles and mysteries to our lives.
When we see the way he came – God becoming man – we call it a mystery – the mystery of incarnation, the immaculate conception of Mary, the virgin conceived with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was born not in a palace where kings and queens and princes lived, but in a crib, a stable, in a manger, which was perhaps abandoned. There were no rich relatives around, but poor shepherds, cattle and sheep. The lullabies were sung by the choirs of angels. Imagine Joseph and Mary running at night to Egypt in exile to save the life of infant Jesus. Many more surprises, problems, trials and tribulations…That was the experience of the two parents and the Child Jesus.
In our lives too, we experience many of God’s surprises, puzzles, troubles and trials even hidden mysteries and miracles….. Sometimes gentle shocks, sometimes hard tremors. When we ask for good health it is sicknesses and infirmities that we experience. When we desire wealth and riches, we experience poverty. When we are ambitious for power and position, we are made weak and dependent on His providence.
But we must never give up on God – never lose trust in God’s care and providence for He has his surprises for us. He will do miracles in our lives according to His will and His own times. When God comes to our lives, troubles and trials, puzzles and surprises may come as it was with Mary, Joseph and Jesus. This is true in our lives. Sometimes they come one after another. Sometimes the more religious and the more spiritual you are, the more of these struggles and problems appear.
Christmas reminds us that our God is a God of presence not of absence. God became man, He is with us now – Emmanuel. As He told His apostles many times, Jesus tells us “Do not be afraid, I will be with you always till the end of time.”
On this Christmas Day 2022, He is with us in our celebrations, in our family gatherings, community get-togethers as we commemorate His birth. Let us like the little girl in hospital and the shepherds affirm our faith in God who is with us and reconfirm our trust in His love and care now and always.
(The writer is Director of the Subodhi Institute), Pilyandala)
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