"Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord"

J I Rosairo

The season of Christmas is upon us again. Tidings of great joy as the angels sang to the poor shepherds on that first Christmas Night, is in the air, nevertheless fresh. It is on a day such as this that Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God and Himself God, was born into this world as a babe donning the garb of a human.

It was anything but an idyllic, silent night, a holy one indeed, on that little town of Bethlehem, a little over 2,000 years ago, when a young virgin whose name was Maria, gave birth to a babe who was to be the Saviour of the world and the Prince of Peace.

Songs of praise

That night angels sang songs of praise, serenading perhaps the shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks that night, but blissfully unaware of what strange things were happening at a stable nearby.

Christ's birth had been foretold in stark precision, 800 years before His birth. "For, unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given and the Government will be upon His shoulders and His name will be called wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah Ch.9.Vr.6)

God's wish

God could have chosen a mansion or a palace for His son to be born, but instead chose a stable where even the poorest of the poor would have dared chose. God wished that Jesus be identified with the poor, poor of heart and spirit.

The Baby Jesus was therefore born surrounded by only cattle as the guests while the humble shepherds were the first visitors.

Jesus, now a grown up young man went about preaching the Good News. He once said, "Foxes have holes and the birds, nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head. Jesus always remained to be poor, never arrogant.

That is why He went to the extent of sacrificing His life for the sins of mankind. Let us therefore, at least this Christmas try to bring about a significant change to our lives by spreading joy and goodwill among all the people that constitute our country and nation.