By Fr. Paul Pudussery, csc., Ph. D
Christmas is all about God’s infinite, loving presence with us: Emmanuel. It is about love and abiding relationships, leading humans to communion with God, with one another and the cosmos. Christmas thus celebrates the gift of Emmanuel – the guiding light of God in the unfolding history of humans. God thus journeys with us here on earth. Since God has become human and dwells among us, we need not wait until after death to see God nor to look for God in some unreachable high places in heaven. God is indeed with us, and we find God’s face in other human beings as well as in the cosmos.
We live in a cyber-world of scientific and technological development which does tremendous good; but it also tends to be destructive and promotes new forms of slavery. Technology has helped us to add years to life but not always life to years. We live in a world of instant global communications which shrink global distances but which leave us strangers to our next door neighbors. We live in a world of ruptured relationships and broken families. In a period of rapid change such as we face today, we are energized most profoundly by our relationships, rather than by acquiring more possessions and facilities. A hope, which is unshakeable and which creates civilizations, comes from being inspired from beyond ourselves to have faith together. Like the wise men, in the bible story, we can take a true reading of the star which leads us to the source of hope, to him who comes from beyond our own planning and scheming to live among us in human form. Christmas is a time to pause, reflect, and enjoy the simple blessings of the season giving each an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends, to capture its joy, to experience its peace and comfort and to wonder at the sights and sounds of the holidays.
We celebrate Christmas when we make God’s loving presence visible. Jesus tells us that God wants nothing more than to come to life in us, to become alive in our words and actions at home, at work, at school, in the community. And it happens. There are human beings, flesh and blood women and men, in whom God is clearly and radiantly alive. Many, especially the poor and the lonely, could experience God’s love in Bl. Mother Teresa. All of us could name people about whom we could say, “I have seen God in this woman or this man.” In that person’s goodness or generosity or courage we knew we were experiencing something of God. A smile can make a big difference in the lives of another. A kind word can touch lives, give hope, and bring joy and peace to our fellow human beings. A listening ear and a caring heart bridge distances and heal rifts. A forgiving attitude builds up families and communities since a good amount of times is spend around the television watching serials that excite emotions, which causes rapture in the immediate and extended relationships. Christmas is a time to celebrate forgiveness by sharing a delightful meal together, while savoring the sweetness of a newly homemade cake.
For us in Meghalaya, it is an opportunity to celebrate hope and work towards the restoration of peace in our society. It is a time to rebuild and rejuvenate the relationship within and between the insider and outsider communities. It is a time to hope and pray for a better future, transforming the past and present conflicts into an opportunity to restore the ruptured and suspicious relationships. It may be time to recommit ourselves for the development of the state with the arrival of more possibilities for development which will bring new hope and opportunity for many. It is a time to celebrate the past achievements, embrace and own the darker days with a renewed sense of forgiveness, as we move into yet another new year. The challenges ahead are too many, and the resources available are too little and it is time to seek God’s intervention to have the wisdom to meander these scenarios that have emerged with new opportunities.
The gift of Emmanuel overthrows the systems that devalue matter, the human body and secular concerns. When we are open to the ongoing revelation of God in our daily life, just as God’s Word guided the people of Israel and the prophets, the gift of Emmanuel empowers us and leads us to the fullness of life and love. Christmas gives us the firm hope that we can become like God since God has already become human. Christmas is above all a feast of relationships, love and hope.
The two most insidious dangers that face any developing secular nation are unbridled religious fundamentalism and widespread economic inequality. Both of these elements are being perpetuated by a small section of Indian society who has a vested political interest in turmoil and hate. No real religion will promote the destruction of life and property of any individual or particular group of individuals. In the name of conversion we see a premeditated and well-orchestrated attack unleashed against helpless individuals in order to preserve the inequality of a caste system which denies the inherit dignity and rights of every person. The threat is not just to India’s rural Christians now living in terror but also to India’s entire self-identity as a multi-religious, multiethnic nation living in harmony, advancing in technology, innovative green options, and moving towards becoming a global power. The anticorruption movements are gaining momentum and these movements will come in fruition only when individuals recognize the other as a human being with similar aspirations. Christmas reminds us to stand firmly against any acts of brutality, oppression, and demoralization, and believe in the inherent dignity of all people, regardless of their religious, social, or cultural affiliation.
The Christmas story is a tale retold year after year, yet never losing its majesty; never ceasing to fill our hearts with wonder. Christmas is poised at the end of one year and at the beginning of the next – at the crossroads of the past and the future. A previous year, with its blessings and its trials, has passed. A new year looms ahead, full of uncertainty. Yet, here is Christmas – the celebration of a birth that took place 2000 years ago – a perennial bright spot on our calendars – a reminder that God gives us hope and call us to live that hope even within our ruptured relationships Hope is the one unifying gift and that hope will help us all through these challenging times. Christmas is a time of hope and let that hope move us onward to the year 2014!