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