The cross of Christ among us can be compared with the four Ms of an organizational life. An organization begins from some insights of a Man (sic), it becomes a Movement when some likeminded fellows join it. It then functions like a Machine when each functionary works like an automatic routine without life and without much consciousness of the purpose. It finally becomes a Monument, lamented upon by the visitors how it was active and productive. The cross of Christ which was picked up by Jesus gathered followers, continues to move people globally remains monumental relic today. This happens in Nagaland too. Though it was picked up enthusiastically the cross remains in the archive of people’s lives and not expressed through daily living.
When someone reads that the cross of Christ among us is unsung the simple minded reader may be taken aback exclaiming, “Of course we sing of the Cross so much besides wearing it as ornament!” The person may add, “ I not only sing of it or wear it but am ready to be crucified if the anti-Christ comes and asks me whether I choose death, or living by denouncing Christ”. Adding the sense of Naga humor, the speaker adds. “However, I wish the rapture comes before I face such an extreme test”. We forget that bearing cross means living it out, not just believing in it or wearing it, not just hoisting it on top of every high place! We see some many crosses on the high places of Nagaland also. We say our land is for Christ but why not also for the Cross of Christ? When we say Nagaland belongs to Christ we postulate the Nagas are cross bearers complying with the invitation of Christ to take up our crosses and follow him. Everyday should be lived in such a way that we share some amount of the pain, suffering and loss Christ faced. Every thought, speech and action should be in line with the way Christ responded to the environment through his impulse, words and action.
When a true cross bearer like Dietrich Bonheoffer, the German Theologian maintained, ”Salvation is free but discipleship is costly” many people would choose the first phrase (salvation, that is free) rather than the second (discipleship, that is cross bearing).We yearn for salvation but wish away the life of discipleship. We forget that salvation leads to rigorous life of discipleship, not imposed by Christ but as our expression of gratitude, living out the fact of our lives in Christ.
Many of our people are simple thinkers, lovers of what is rewarding and lucrative. We want to have what is good and pleasing even in matters of faith and spirituality. If it can be bought or procured through the shortest means we would have asked Christ to favor us by such approach, or directly ask Christ to assure us seats at his right and left hands like James and John did (Mk.10:35-40). Matthew tells us that it was their mother who went to Jesus to book seats for her sons (Mt.20:20ff).By the way these two disciples had also asked Christ if they would be permitted to burn down the Samaritan villages on the simple reason the Samaritans refused to listen to Christ. (Lk.9:54).Jesus Christ replied to these two brothers who wanted to book status in heaven that the Father alone will allocate such positions. On being asked by Jesus if they could drink the cup he drank these two brothers had replied, “We are able”. By this promise they entered the way of the cross culminating their lives of discipleship by martyrdom . Jesus did not chose holy men first. He chose those who could be called “satan” (Mk.8:33, ti Peter) and those who could be called “sons of thunder”(Mk.3:17, to James and John) and molded them in such a way that they voluntarily became martyrs for him and the gospel. There lies the beauty of a leader’s character.
Some of our people very surely claim confirmed seats in heaven. Such attitude (or theology) alienates us from being true cross bearers on earth because we already got what we wish. We are called to be cross bearers on earth which will lead us to crown bearers if we deserve when the Chief Shepherd appears (1 Pet.5:4; 2 Tim.4:6-8; Phil.3:12-14). However, we would pre-empt the Crown and make it a prominent decoration on our garments (I say this with due respect to those who wear the crown befitting its meaning). What if Christ, on his return finds us all wearing the crown already (wedding crowns excused).We cannot help ourselves with everything that is promised by God. Promises are still at the discretion of the Giver. God the giver knows who among the cross bearers deserve which rank or portfolio. We need to sit down and count how many of our titles and status are self claimed ones and if they are befitting humble followers of Christ.
Why Christianity appears to fail in Nagaland? Because we want Salvation but not discipleship or cross bearing followers. Christianity without the cross is like a car without wheels, it will not work. The cross is not to be venerated or hoisted to make it visible but borne in spirit by every follower of Christ. The cross is not to be used for achieving personal ambition like the emperor Constantine did. It is the means of constructing the kingdom of God on earth, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. A State like Nagaland, and for that matter any country can shine only if the citizens are cross bearing citizens and not crown thirsty citizens.
When Christmas comes we think Jesus Christ brought the stars, the Santa, the crackers (which is lately Christianized) the night carnivals, thus only those merry making items. Jesus brought the cross to be the only means of pleasing God. How can a person, a village, or a State shine without making the cross triumph by the way the citizens bear the cross? Cross bearing is not necessarily a capital sacrifice. It may be reflected in the way a person is true to a neighbor, forgiving an opponent, being patient in proving one’s right, being charitable and friendly in the midst of animosity and self seeking. When we think of cross bearing life as capital punishment we take it to be catastrophic and forget this simple Christly character as negligible.
The characteristic of the cross bearing lives include truthfulness, peace-loving, forgiving, humility, sacrifice, honesty, vicarious living, and above all dying for Christ when situation calls for. May one of the packets of Christmas gift contain these virtues to make Christmas meaningful. It is not to belittle the joy Christmas brings. Rather, it is to go beyond the traditional expectation of Christmas season toward the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus comes to announce that real joy results only by bearing the cross. Such joy is incomparable with any joy the world can afford. Such a blissful state of life is partly described by Paul in Philippians chapter two. This is the story of how Christ, the new creation of humanity went through life as a model for all humans. Christ is born to the sinful world as a model setter for the redeemed world we live in today.
Merry Christmas!
Rev. Dr. Ezamo Murry
Model Village, Dimapur
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