As we draw close to the Nativity of Christ; the birth of Christ on Christmas day, many things would begin to run through our minds as the tone of things in and around the world begins to change. This day, our heart is turned to Bethlehem where the Son of God; the Eternal Word, became flesh and dwelt amongst us – the fulfillment of the promises of old by the prophets.

 Irrespective of the insecurities,  wars, uncertainties, happening in the world, the tone of celebration still rocks our world as Christmas comes. This is so because, the birth of Jesus proclaims that hope is alive, eternal, and meant for all of us. This leaves many of us with mixed feelings, as to how people are still cheerful when Christmas comes, even amidst the many issues happening around us.

For many of us this period,  anxiety would begin to kick in: the anxiety of what to wear, what to eat, what to give our children and many more. For some still, especially the children, happiness sets in, as, Christmas, for them, is a time to eat and make merry, to visit friends, to celebrate, etc.

Amidst all of these, Christmas is a time to reflect deeply about something great, something awesome, something much more than eating, drinking and making merry. Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ who comes to make all things new. Let us for a moment imagine the shepherds on that hillside, outside of Bethlehem. In cold of the night, living their lives quietly, day after day tending their flocks, far from the comforts of the city. Suddenly, an angel appeared, disrupting their quietness, but with a message: “Be not afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:10-11). What stirs in their hearts begins with fear, but not fear alone, a spark of hope, the hope that God has not forgotten them, that something great is breaking into their ordinary world.  This is the essence of Christmas, a divine interruption that awakens hope within us, a hope that spurs us to set out with haste like the shepherds, as pilgrims of hope and light amidst the world’s insecurities, wars and darkness. 

Today, as we draw close to the Nativity of Christ, let hope stir in your heart, no matter what burden you carry; be it personal struggles, global conflicts or the struggles of unmet dreams, Christ is born for you, to bring you hope, a hope that does not disappoint.

Again, this Christmas season must challenge our complacency; we must not allow the sharing of gifts amongst ourselves to overshadow our care for the poor and needy, we must not allow Christmas to be ‘kidnapped’ by worldliness, we must not allow the light of commerce to overshadow God’s light, we must bring relief to the suffering, comfort to the sorrowful etc.

This Christmas,  we must say ‘yes’ to the seed of hope that God plants in us and take that hope to all the peoples of the world, that they also may come to share of the hope and joys of Christ.