Christ, the messenger of love
Siripathy JAYAMANA
Today is Christmas. In many countries, the day is called Natal. In
our own blessed land, the day is called Nathal and Nathar. The word is
used in the medical world too. Pre and Post Natal. The meaning in
English is Birth. Thousands of Christians around the globe commemorate
the Birth of Jesus Christ. When the clock chimes the dawn of the 25th of
December, Christians bow their heads in prayer.
Churches are pecked with the faithful. December or Unduvap is the
last month of the year a and since Christmas falls just one week before
a another year begins, there is always a feeling of joy among all
peoples living in most of the countries of the world. It is a children's
feast. New books, new clothes, crackers, fireworks, parties and greeting
cards are a beautiful chapter during this season.
Beginning
To us Christians it was the beginning. A beginning that will have no
end. Born in a humble shed, with his gentle foster father Joseph, a
carpenter of repute turned midwife in attendance, a few quadruped
friends as the first visitors to have had a glimpse of the new born,
visited by the rustic shepherds and the regal wise me, he was to be the
saviour of all mankind.
A biblical prophecy come true. A happy blessed mother must have
recalled the visit of angel Gabriel, her visit to he cousin Elizabeth's
home and the magnificent words she uttered there, on that day. Also
those beautiful words ‘be it done to me according to thy word'. She
little realized as to how many times she would have to bow her head and
think of these words from his conception upto to the sepulchre and forty
days after.
Truth
He lived for thirty three years, preached for three years, was
crucified after a mockery of a trial. He preached with great conviction.
At times very scating in his utterances. He spoke on Truth. His
disciples were simple village persons.
He was a gentle revolutionary. He preached on love, forgiveness,
about giving one's life for his friend incidentally. He gave his life
for us. He spoke on hypocrisy, the almost impossibility of the rich
reaching heaven, wages of sin. All his and teachings were graphically
explained by his deeds and parables.
He broke traditions and angered the ruling elite. He disagreed with
them on the eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth policy. Also their rigid
laws on abstaining from servile work whatever the consequences. He
humiliated them by saying ‘He that is without sin let him cast the first
stone.” They had brought a woman in sin before him. He decried the
practice of selling wares in the temple of God.
Christ the redeemer
That then was Jesus. Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. Three years later,
He died, Crucified by His own people. Truth hurts. Still His teachings
spread round the globe for two thousand years, and continues to do so.
The second millennium. Year 2000, a million trekked to church, on
that beautiful and momentous day. Fireworks, crackers. Christians
especially, celebrated the day by dining, wining and dancing.
Hotels were packed. They staggered to their homes or were taken to
their mansions in super luxury vehicles, drunk, exhausted. All the
while, thousands spent that night hungry, without shelter, amidst
claymore mines, RPGs’ missiles and disease. Immediately after the hang
over, the powerful will start thinking on how to rule the world. While a
few were gazing with lustreless eyes at a new world without hope.
Some were hoping that their game of dice in winning nations, their
bounties and population would make their own people happy.
All this in commemoration of a teacher who trekked up Calvary
carrying as heavy piece of timber, to die for love and shed His precious
blood, that drenched mother earth whom His fathers had created.
Let us beseech our Blessed Lord on this day, when we commemorate his
birth, to millennium back to look after his most consummate of creations
– Man. |
