Significance of Christmas and New Year Today
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“This very day in David's town your
Saviour was born — Christ the Lord!" |
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Mrs. Shalinithai Moghe, is a well-known educationalist of Indore, M.P. She runs a very good school. She is also a Padmabhushan award winner. To my pleasant surprise, she came to visit me one day, while I was at Masih Vidya Bhavan Indore, some years ago. What was the purpose of her visit? She wanted a person to act as "Santa Claus" in her school for her students. "You need to come only once. We will learn from you and then act it out next year by ourselves. We are happy to join you to celebrate Christmas in our school". I obliged her. I went along with some of my staff to her school, sang a few Christmas Carols, gave a short Christmas message and then the "Santa" distributed sweats to the students. When I came to Delhi, four years ago, I read a report in the Press, that thousands of school children came to Khan Market for Christmas shopping, especially to purchase the costume of “Santa Claus”. What does it mean? Christmas is no more just a feast that the Christians celebrate but it is celebrated by thousands of non-Christians as well all over the world. Christmas is a great and joyful feast not only in Europe and America but also in Japan and Singapore. When some Christians celebrate it as a spiritual event with mid-night Mass and Carol singing, others celebrate it as a joyful social event, having a party or dance at a hotel.
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The same is the case with New Year. The New Year is another celebration connected to the birth day of the Lord. It is known as the year of the Lord, “Annus Domini” (A.D.). Similarly the time before the birth of Christ is counted back as Before Christ. (B.C.). The fact is that Christmas and New Year are celebrated all over the world, by Christians and non-Christians alike, connected to the birthday of Jesus Christ.
Christmas and New Year have become the universal feasts that unites all peoples, cutting across various cultures and nations. Can't we say, it is marvelous that Christ Jesus has become the unifying figure for all humanity and the centre of human history. His transforming influence is all pervading. He has set and spread a "trans-valuation of values" as Fredrick Nietzsche put it. He has changed the value-system and perspective of human society. Today, even the most powerful people like the heads of the nations no more prefer to call themselves Royalties or Lords, but as presidents and |
ministers of the people, realizing that the right way to rule is to serve. And it was Jesus who said, first and foremost, " I have not come to be served but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many". Today, the greatness of people is measured in terms of the values Jesus set forth. Isn't it the case with Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Albert Schweitzer, Mother Theresa or Pope John Paul II? No one accepts the old dicta or principles, "Might is right" or "a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye".
What does it mean to us? It means that we must realize the significance of Christmas and of Jesus Christ for the salvation of humankind both on earth and in heaven. It means that we spread the name and message of Christ as a great service to all peoples. It means to bring unity, peace and mutual support among all peoples for the good of every human being and the world at large.
Then, let us rejoice and thank God for this miracle which we witness in the person of Jesus Christ. Though he was born in a stable and died on a cross as a "criminal", he has become the corner-stone of human society. Let us, then, transform our own lives, aspirations, attitudes as that of Christ Jesus. Let’s also spread and share the Good-News of Jesus Christ with conviction and courage for the good of every one in the world.
May God shower His Blessings on you on this Christmas Day and throughout the New Year.
—Fr. Varghese Nediakalayil SVD |
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