Christian perspectives

Christmas at Galgamuwa

E. Weerapperuma

Christmas at Galgamuwa was very simple but elegant and edifying. The Congregation that attended the Christmas Night Mass, held at 7.30 p.m owing to the fact, the devotees had to get back home before the thick of the night to avoid any threat being in an area where public transport is a luxury. St Benedict’s Church was not a stage for fashion play like in many churches in the city and surrounding suburbs.

The simplicity of the dress worn by all men and women, the young and the old were very impressive and it seems to be throwing a challenge to the city dweller spending lavishly for their dress and to throw parties. The small community of Catholics live about 200 kilometres away from Colombo city.

The small community of Catholics celebrated Christmas with their Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Edmund Murugupillai OMI allowing the scribe to imagine and assume that the Blessed Joseph Vaz, the zealous Oratorian Missionary would have celebrated Christmas in a similar fashion with his small flock amidst threats to their lives from those who opposed them for whatever reason.

The Crib and the Holy Cross as at one side of the crib was able to remind that Holy Cross could not be forgotten at the Christmas celebration. The Church was decorated in a very fitting manner to go along with the people with simple dress.

In his homily Fr. Murugupillai did not mince his words when he said that if Christ were to visit us today, he would have driven us all, by canning for the disgusting way the world celebrated Christmas, His Birthday. “Christmas has been fully commercialized and has forgotten the sacredness of the event and it has been put to the back door”.

He also reminded the devotees gathered at the table to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, that the Birthday celebration of Christ would find meaning in the Sublime Sacrifice He made on the Cross for the salvation humanity and was a mediator between God His Father and the man who had fallen from the Grace, gone astray and Christ born in a manger in Bethlehem brought about reconciliation. So the Cross along with the Crib has very mighty significance and while celebrating Christmas we have to keep in mind the Cross, the source of Our Salvation, he pointed out.

The Church celebrate three Birthdays during the Liturgical Calendar Year. They are the Birthdays of John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and Mary, His Virgin Mother.

The celebrating birthdays have meaning to the extent how those men and women we recall have lived and what contribution they have made for the well-being of human family. It has no significance if they have not lived as humans serving the community, Fr. Murugupillai said. “We do not know the birthday of Mahathma Gandi. But hail himself for the service he had rendered. We remember the great leaders not because they were born on a particular day but because of thief significant contribution to the society, he added.

There was no organized Carol Singing after Mass. But the Parish Priest along with two Brothers, and Nuns sang Christmas carols while the Congregation left the Church premises as they had to get back without join the Christmas Carols.

Pope urges respect for humans

Pope Benedict XVI called for respect and tolerance in his traditional New Year’s Day mass Friday, stressing the values were necessary to ensure world peace and ecological responsibility.

“Respect others, regardless of their skin colour, nationality, language, religion”, Benedict said, “even very young, it is important to be taught to respect others, even when they are different to us”, he emphasised.

In his homily before the Vatican diplomatic corps the pontiff noted that it was increasingly common for schools to have children from different nationalities in the classroom.

“Their faces represent the prophecy of humanity that we are invited to develop: a family of families and peoples”, Benedict said, adding that the other is “a brother within humanity, not a rival nor an enemy”.

Benedict spoke against war and violence, deploring that too often the faces of children were “sunken by hunger and illness, disfigured by pain and hopelessness”.

Before these defenceless human beings, “all the false justifications for war and violence fall down”.

Benedict appealed for “all weapons to be laid down for a more dignified world”.

In his first Angelus blessing of the year, the German pope appealed to the “consciences of those who are involved with armed groups of all kinds”.

“Reflect,” he said, “and abandon the path of violence”.

At New Year’s mass the pope also stressed ecological awareness, reiterating his message made public in December and to be read in every parish from Friday, entitled “if you want to cultivate peace, preserve what has already been created”.

The pontiff advocated “human ecology”, saying “there is a close link” between respect for mankind and respect for nature.

“If humanity shames itself, it damages its environment”, Benedict said.

He appealed for “investment in education with the objective not only to transmit technical and scientific concepts, but also a broader and deeper ecological responsibility based on respect for humanity, human rights and fundamental duties”.

AFP

Beginning of a mother’s odessy

Siripathy Jayamaha

Continued from Last week

Joseph was prepared to lodge into any inn, irrespective of the cost. But all the hotels were full. People had come from afar for the census.

Suddenly a warning sign from within. The tiring journey and anxiety may have been the cause. Joseph was frantic. He was close to me, inquiring about my condition. I knew that my time had come. A kindly innkeeper seeing my condition directed us to an abandoned shed. We moved into our palace.

There was no other alternative. Perhaps, Joseph may have liked the place. It resembled his workplace. Be that what it may. Joseph prepared a secluded and comfortable place for me.

He spread some soft hay and over it, the bedding we had brought. I saw him hurrying in with a pail of hot water. I was in labour. Joseph held my hand and was wiping the sweat from my brow. He was doing so himself. In my pain, I laughed at seeing my Joseph the carpenter turned midwife.

Around midnight my little baby boy was born. I felt that I was the humble but most exalted woman in the world. When I opened my eyes, my Joseph had prepared the baby, wrapped him up - I cannot still understand as to how he managed it and laid him gently by my side. Joseph whispered “Our little Jesus is hungry.”

He held Him up to me. Oh what a lovely, cuddly boy - Our Jesus. My thoughts went back to the message of Gabriel and the words of cousin Elizabeth. How strange the ways of God - the King who is to reign forever to be born in a simple shed. Anyway I was so happy because, in my words to Elizabeth I said “He shall put down the mighty and shall exalteth the humble”.

Joseph approached me with a smile. “Mary”, he said with a smile. “We have visitors.” Now who should have known about this. In walked a stray sheep, a few dogs and our beloved donkey. They all stood round us.

The flickering lamp, a gesture from the gentle innkeeper. Joseph, our new born and our lovable quadrupeds. Joseph and I will never forget that moment. Joseph got some food for our forfeited friends and gently escorted them out.

He was back in no time. “Mary, Mary” he pointed “we have more visitors”. In to the shed came some shepherds. They walked in with great respect, and knelt round me and the baby. Their eyes seemed glued to the new born. They were whispering among themselves and looked very elated. Joseph spoke to them, and while thanking them for their visit inquired as to how they knew about the baby.

They told us that an angel had appeared while they were watching their sheep. He had told them that he is bringing tidings of great joy - that a saviour is born. A star had directed them here. I do not know whether Joseph refreshed them. He would have. Then they took their leave. They were beaming with smiles of joy.

Joseph was tired I was tired. We partook of some food that Joseph had brought from the inn and rested between our little one who seemed quite oblivious of the excitement. We had no time to rest for long, Joseph nudged me “More visitors” and Joseph rose to welcome them. They looked very regal in their expensive robes. Three wisemen had come to our place, guided by the star. “Stars indicate the birth of Kings”, they said. So they had gone to King King Herod and had inquired about the sign. He had told them to visit this new born babe and report back to him. They bought gold, frankincense and Myz as was the custom when visiting the new born of royalty. They placed them at the foot of the make shift cradle most reverently.

Bowed their heads, had a few words with Joseph and took their leave. They by-passed King Herod. An Angel had told them that they should not go back to Herod.

They left - a happy trio Joseph and I were tired. Baby was happily asleep after a good feed of maternal love and milk.

I could not sleep. I was thinking what a day. The dawn of a wondrous day - Animals, shepherds, wise men, Kings - was my son going to be the salvation of all? I bowed my head in thanksgiving. I became the handmaid of the Lord, and on this day. His word was made flesh was this going to be the beginning? I fell asleep.

Pope leads prayers after attack

Pope Benedict XVI prayed before crowds in Saint Peter’s Square on Saturday in a post-Christmas tradition two days after he was assaulted by a woman whom the Vatican said it would judge in days.

The 82-year-old pope appeared serene as he waved to pilgrims and tourists from his apartment overlooking the famous piazza, as his 25-year-old attacker was reportedly put in isolation for mandatory pyschiatric treatment.

The pontiff, who was unhurt in the Christmas Eve attack, pronounced a special Angelus prayer to Saint Stephen, an early Christian “proto-martyr” traditionally remembered on the day after Christmas.

The woman, identified as Susanna Maiolo with Swiss-Italian nationality, had surged over a barricade and past bodyguards to assault him during mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica. She reportedly said she had not wanted to hurt the pope.

Among those who fell in the confusion is a prominent French cardinal who was to have hip replacement surgery on Sunday.

The Vatican, a tiny sovereign city state, would judge Maiolo’s case “in the following days” pending medical reports, said spokesman Federico Lombardi. Lombardi said the aim “is more to cure her”. The Vatican has suggested earlier that she could expect forgiveness.

AFP

Christmas at Labour Ministry

The Labour Secretariat’s Christian Association made a Crib emphasizing how “Christians in Public Service Celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ” in their office. The Crib was blessed by Rev. Fr. Shiran Fonseka (CssR) Director of the Junior Seminary of Thimbirigasyaya. Labour Relations and Manpower Ministry Secretray Mahinda Madihewa, Additional Commissioner General of Labour Pearl Weerasingha, ETF Chairman M.A. Godawaththa, Additional General Manager ETF H. Gunarathna and Branch Heads of the various divisions participated.