IS CHRIST THERE IN MY CHRISTMAS?

It is Christmas season again. The atmosphere is so intoxicating that we are so much captivated by the stars and angels, carols and cakes, and all the commercial trails that come with the season. These aesthetic additions that has gained more prominence in the recent centuries has more or less effectively eclipsed the reality of Christmas. Christmas is a joyous season, only for us. But let us go centuries back and walk the streets with Joseph, the caring carpenter. He knocks door to door, pleading that someone would just give a place to lay his fully pregnant wife. The doors are shut. There is so much desperation and agony for the husband to see his wife writhing in pain on a donkey. Somehow he rushes into an abandoned cattle shed and makes just enough space for Mary to give birth.

The Maker of the whole world, the Hands which flung stars into space is now slipping out into this sinful world in the bitter cold , into the arms of His heavenly Father. How true David wrote that Your hands held me when I came from my mother's womb. It was true that angels sang glad tidings of great joy, shepherds and wise man came and celebrated the baby Jesus. It was a prophetic proclamation. After the time they left it was not so wonderful and lovely for Joseph and Mary. There were no diapers, no milk powder there was stinging cold, the wailing mothers whose little sons were getting killed. No no it was not at all wonderful.

God chose a simple and a very poor family to send His only begotten Son. I think poverty is one of the most painful plight on this earth. A little child denied of her bread for lack of money, a small lad standing at the door of a school with eyes full of longing to learn. Poverty is surely very cruel. Jesus right from the place of birth suffered poverty. When Jesus was taken to temple his poor parents could only offer two turtle doves as a sin offering for their son, instead of a lamb.(And if the mother is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons- one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. Leviticus12,8)

Jesus knows what it is to suffer, what it is to work hard to eat bread, what it is to be rejected even as a little lad and to suffer reproach. All the thirty three and a half years He lived as a Son of Man was not easy for Him. Very rarely He bares his soul and we catch a glimpse of His heart ache. With a faint smile Jesus replies, " Foxes have holes, birds have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." He wanders homeless, misunderstood , rejected, abandoned, yet loved everyone of us with that same passion that made Him gladly bear the Cross.

Jesus Christ did not live this earth in luxury or did he ever attend any fabulous Christmas parties, but why today even Christians have made Christmas time a mere season of singing, giving and reveling. Jesus died to save us and be partakers of that Great Joy. If our Christmas would be only feeling good with singing, eating and visiting orphanages and graciously feeding Biryani, then somewhere we have missed Jesus Christ. Real Christmas is making Jesus happy and the whole heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. Do you know Christmas is the best time to reach the unreached? Instead of running round and round in our circles, let us reach our unreached brothers and sisters. Let us witness Christ being born in their hearts, that is real Christmas. Jesus is still walking homeless looking for a heart that will house Him. He is still knocking. Do you hear what I hear……?

Dear Jesus, be born in me, rest your head in my heart Lord. There is room in my heart for you Lord Jesus. Let my eyes be fixed on you and may my life be pleasing in your sight. Be glorified in my life this special season. Amen.

Laura, Trichy