CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
By Dn Thomas Poothicote
“I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS THAT WILL CAUSE GREAT JOY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE”
By the
Grace of God we are approaching yet another Christmas. The day of blessing and
joy. We celebrate Christmas as the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ,
the son of Almighty God. It is a festival of love. Love of God on His creation.
Unfortunately
now a day’s our Christmas becomes a peripheral celebration. Though most people
flaunt love, there is no real love in their heart.
Let me
take you back to the time when Jesus was born. There we see some persons who
are present near the manger, where infant Jesus was found . They are Mother
Mary, Joseph the Righteous, Wise men from the East, and shepherds.
Let’s see
the unique qualities they have
MOTHER MARY
She was
the most important person at the time of Jesus’ birth. When the Arch-angel
Gabriel appeared to her and said she is going to become a mother. Actually it
was shocking news, as we know that a girl to become pregnant before her
marriage was stamped as a prostitute by the Jewish community. Even though she
knew that, she surrenders herself to the will of God and says, “here am I, the
servant of the lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke-1:38). The
unquestioning Faith and the mind that surrender completely without worrying
about the consequences.
JOSEPH THE RIGHTEOUS
St.
Joseph was a man of justice and a man of humaneness. We can see that at first
he had some confusion in his mind as to what he should do with his fiancée who
is reported to be pregnant before marriage (Matthew: 1:19), According to the
Jewish law he should expose her, but that will lead to her inevitable death by
stoning. His humaneness won’t let him bring any harm to a poor girl. So he
thinks of send her away secretly. So that she will be spared from the shame and
still she will be safe. Later when God’s messenger appeared to him he shows his
loyalty and obedience to God. He did everything as what the God told him.
WISE MEN FROM THE EAST
Three
"kings"(wise men) visiting the infant Jesus in a manger on the night
of his birth. The qualities we see in these wise men are that, they offered
their most precious gifts from their place to Jesus (Gold, Frankincense &
Myrrh). And the second quality we find in them was that though they searched
for the king of kings in the palace of Herod, but when they found that He is
not there, they don’t hesitate to leave the palace of King Herod to continue
seeking where Jesus was born. Even though Emperor Herod instructed them to
inform him about the birth place of Jesus (Matthew: 2:12) on their way back,
but they follow the instruction from heaven to go back by different route
leaving the pleasures they might get at the kings palace
SHEPHERDS
When the
simple shepherds heard the good news from the angel, “I am bringing you good
news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord”. (Luke:2:10-11) they rushed
leaving their livestock to see Infant Jesus in the manger .Seeing The Savior
and His angles they joined in the praise and worship along with the angles
(Luke: 2:15-20).
Here we
saw the unquestioning Faith and complete surrender of Virgin Mary to God’s
will, While continuing to be righteous the Humaneness of Joseph that forces him
to save Mary from harm. The willingness of Wise men to present their most
precious treasures to The Lord and abandon places of pleasure to Continue in
the God’s path. The Shepherds’ leaving their livestock for viewing the Savior
and joining the Angels in the worship of God.
This
Christmas let’s try to adopt the faith of Mother Mary, humanness and
righteousness of St.Joseph, Willingness to seek The Lord and forsake worldly pleasures
like the Wise Men and follow the shepherds to search and remain in Glorifying
the Lord even if we have to compromise our basics needs.
Wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
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