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Reflections on Christmas
Jannette CABRAAL
A quick twelve month revolution and it's Christmas time once again.
'The season's here' scream out the commercials and the advertisements to
the jolly strains of Jingle Bells and an even jollier Santa Claus with a
fat paunch symbolic of the eating, drinking binge of the season, and a
bulging sackful of goodies, whatever they be according to the forte of
the advertiser. Scenes of raucous laughter, merriment jollity, wine and
song abound far superseding the sober, tranquil effect of the strains of
Silent night.
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A painting of Mother Mary and Baby Jesus |
"Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings good
cheer" is the hackneyed proverbial reference to Christmas. Yes! And a
cheer of a different sort and of diverse sorts and varieties trumped up
for the season. This is the spirit that is highlighted and propagated;
not so much the goodwill induced spirit of giving and sharing with the
less privileged what God in his bountiful mercy has bestowed on us. Do
we pause to think "There but for the mercy of God go I".
And all this surfeit to celebrate the birth of a lowly babe born in
poverty for whom there was no room save in a cow-shed.
This birth which is truly representative of the lowly and humble and
the rejects of the earth is blown completely out of proportion and
becomes a celebration of those who can afford the ostentation. How many
are out there who do not know it's Christmas time at all!
True! The birth of Christ who came to redeem mankind, the coming of
the Messiah is a cause for celebration. But celebration within the
bounds of a certain austerity the circumstances of the birth calls for.
The season savours of glamour. A surfeit of luxuries - exotic food and
drink, clothing miscellaneous sundry excesses, partying, dances in plush
hotels.
The commercial world has taken over the festival completely. On the
other hand families at mere survival level in hovels and shanties who do
not know one day from another.
On one side Santa's fantastic visits with dream gifts. How come Santa
misses or ignores the other side of the street!
The innocent, hungry, bereft little ones ponder. They learn early the
basics of class distinction. Why have the others everything and we
nothing.
The season calls for much soul - searching on the part of those who
celebrate. The period before Christmas is the season of advent. A
spiritual preparation for the coming of the Messiah which is mistaken
for a materialistic preparation.
In our eagerness to have a good time for the season if we but pause
awhile to consider Christ's birth in relation to the world around us.
The number of rejects among us. Those relegated to orphanages, homes
for the aged, the homeless, Let's spare a thought and see the rejection
of Christ and His mother in those among and around us.
If we could reach out this Christmas day
To the poor, the forsaken, the down-trodden the waif
To whom this day quite rightly belongs
For Christ was born in a stable forlorn
What a gift to the Christ-child that would be
What you do unto others, you do unto me' |
