Christmas is a season for celebration and it is a global festival with a universal appeal. For the second consecutive time since 2020, Christmas spirit could be dampened by the threat of the new mutated coronavirus called Omicron. The celebrations will be much dampened in the western world where rising Omicron cases has had several countries on red alert and others like Germany, UK and New Zealand under strictest curbs to prevent further spread. The coronavirus pandemic is not over and could be present for a few years more. This will possibly mean that even New Year will be celebrated under the shadows of fear of omicron. Despite all the fears, the spirit of Christmas has not been totally dampened. As people await to welcome Christmas, for Christians, it provides the best opportunity to bring all communities together in sharing food or giving gifts. Sharing is part of caring and compassion and this is perhaps the best message to the world. For most Christians, or 2.5 billion of the world’s nearly 7 billion people, celebrating Christmas on December 25 is an occasion to welcome the birth of Jesus Christ. There is no Christmas message in the bible since the birth of Christ was itself the message that was foretold centuries before the birth about the messiah who would reconcile between God and man as the peacemaker and mediator. The birth of Jesus Christ signifies God’s love for mankind. Christ came as a sacrifice for peace between God and man. He came not to condemn the world but to show of God’s enduring love for mankind and to offer Himself as salvation offering . Christmas is a reminder that God’s plan for the redemption of the world is already fulfilled in Christ. That is why Christians believe and celebrate the birth or Jesus Christ. His birth is celebrated as the birth of the prince of peace. Humans long for peace among nations, peace within our own nation, peace within families, and, of course, peace with one another. In a psychology-driven age it’s the latter – peace within ourselves- that’s the pre-eminent felt need. Almost universally, shoppers will pack the high streets, gift-hunting for their friends and loved ones. Young children especially will look forward to receiving gifts from Santa Claus, that benevolent, bigger-than-life father figure who supposedly visits them once a year with his reindeer. Perhaps one word that best describes Christmas is ‘giving’-when people present gifts to each other or when the annual festivity brings out the yearning among many to feel sympathy for the poor and needy. People of Nagaland long for guaranteed peace and an end to conflicts and perhaps a deeper understanding of the Christmas will enlighten believers that they are indeed to be the harbingers of peace within their families, homes and society in order to reflect this because the true meaning of Christmas is not about man loving man-or, if one were confused, human loving human. The true meaning of Christmas is about God loving man. Christ’s gift is not material that can be seen but spiritual that can only be experienced. That is what should be understood when it is said that the occasion is to welcome the birth of Christ.
Leave a Reply