His people did not receive him
History is written after the fact, and this is true of the Gospel of John. As we read the beautiful poetic Gospel, we cannot but marvel at the choice of words and the grace of inspiration enjoyed by the author. John could have written that the “Messiah was rejected by the people,” but he wrote, “he came to his own and his own did not receive him.” This is poetic verdict of condemnation on the world. Who are the people of the Messiah, if not all of us. Two thousand years ago, the Saviour of the world was burn and he was hounded and hunted down by the people, the authorities in the land and ultimately he was killed. Indeed, his people did not receive him. Has the story changed today, two thousand years later?
Christians are probably about eight billion population of the world. Yet, the values of the gospel are fighting a losing battle in many lands. The erstwhile Christian nations are now proponents of homosexuality and bestiality, that is, after centuries of inhuman treatment of blacks and minorities and continued despoilation of many nation. Christ in the poor has always been maltreated and not well received. As the old Christian nations continue to regress into atheism and agnosticism, many are appalled that Islam is on the rise and threatening to over run the land.
In fact, some feel it is a matter of when and not if it will happen. So, Christ who keeps coming to his own still has not room reserved for him in the Inn, no time for him in our calendar and no space for him in our life. Truly, “He came to his own an his own did not receive him.”
Today, Christ is being exploited and instrumentalized. Christmas remains the most beloved time of the year. It is a time to share love and gifts, but the gift of Christ is often not available or not included in the gifts that many share. Business people have mastered the tricks of the game to get their goods off shelves by invoking the spirit of Christmas to amass great profit. When all that matters is profit, then Jesus is no longer the centre of history and Christ has been removed from Christmas and our world still lay in darkness. Christ is yet to be received by his own. The beautiful world that welcomed the glad tidings of the angels is still being ruined by wars, hatred, and deprivation.
In the Church, is Christ treated better? Is Christ truly welcomed in our Churches? Isn’t it true that many Church spaces, have become toxic to the presence of Christ? Pastors manipulate the Gospel for pecuniary gains and speak falsehood to the sheep. The sheepfold is divided but as it is one group fights for God, but the factions are shared among fashionable pastors and not the gospel truth. The truth is still a stranger in many Churches as the people are fed politically correct message that does not lead people to the kingdom. Truth, what is that? Is still the remark of many, when in fact the truth disturbs their night sleep, but dead bodies feel no pain, no wonder Christ is still an unwelcome guest in his own domain.
As it is in the Western world, so it is in many Churches and home. Christ is hardly given a warm welcome. Many of us are scared to call upon him or speak in his name. Many of us are afraid to even associate with him in public. For many today, it is business as usual. We have become adept at dealing with the people of the world that we have forgotten that we are first and foremost, disciples of Jesu, followers of Christ and children of God, created in his image and likeness. We definitely need to change course and Advent overs us the best opportunity to prepare for Christ so that we can give him a better reception when he comes again.
Christmas is about Christ above all things, not just about our pleasure. We need to welcome him anew into his world. We need to enthrone him again as king and what better time than at Christmas and Christians must take the lead to make Christ the centre of the celebration and the worship of him as the most important form of celebration and not jut the Chicken we want to eat, of the physical gifts we hope to receive or the beautiful decorations that grace our streets and homes.
If we want a better world, we must create it. If we want a better home, we must work for it and Jesus, and his values are there to guide us. Let us welcome him this time around. May his coming herald for us a new period of peace and progress, a people of true hope and growth, a period of harmony and loving relationship.
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