"He is the Reason to celebrate this Season"

"He is the Reason to celebrate this Season"

(Ramblings over Christmas)

Christ is Born! Glorify him!

These are the words one would express in this Chistmas day, and what a miraculous blessing it would be. For as the Lord Jesus Christ, being the eternal Word of God hath born and laid in manger, this Child, born of the virgin, is himself brings to earth a kingdom, but not of this world.

This child did tremble kings as angels sung, that the sheperds prayeth and gifts bestowed, for through his birth cometh the good news of his salvation, and in his words meant not to judge but also to bless everyone. And in him would made holy, fulfilled, and raised to life eternal.

The message may resound throughout as in the past, for as everyone celebrated his birth would meant renewing hope in him. He may not arriveth in an earthly splendour, but in having wise men and shepherds did bow and worship they sought how this Christ will bring good news to them, the way its shining light did cast over him to welcome not just his birth but to bring his message that is, to carry forward.

Christ as an undying "Light"

HE AND THE FATHER ARE ONE:
"Lets offer all our lights
and our love to him."

But prior to this celebration, and Christians are waiting for his birth, Jews were celebrating feast of lights, and that with their lighting of the Menorah would say that they all celebrating the dedication of the temple that was once defiled and end cleansed as part of their worship to the Lord. And like Christmas it is also a feast wherein food, games, and anything enjoyable being taken as any other custom celebrating its mystery.
However, Hanukkah was also one of the holidays Christ did took part during his life on earth-as what John 10:22-30 said. And from those words he even plainly stated that He could grant eternal life, and that He and the Father as One.

It may sound weird tho, but as Hanukkah, being a holiday for the Jews as itself within the season near Christmas as for the Christians, the lighting of candles has become a symbol of hope as ancestors would light its lamps that brought everyone from darkness. Its fires did warmth, cooked food, and give life to a setting that even becomes a symbol to a man's ability to reason, to think, and to transform the world around all to meet its needs. 

But Christ is himself an undying light that shines upon everyone. Whereas the first Hanukkah was about cleansing the temple and lighting its candles, this time the body hath become the temple itself, as within lives the spirit of the Lord. Every body is itself a temple, and in every life had first to be cleansed by the body and blood of the Lord to rededicate again to God through the Holy Spirit. Thus, since Hanukkah occurs near the same week as Christmas, then perhaps one would say that the birth of the Lord is itself a day that the light hath shown to the world, an eternal light to those who believe in him and his quest for redemption.

Are they really Sharing for others?
Or Gratifying for themselves? 

"Giving and Sharing?
 Or Sense Gratifying?"

Meanwhile for most people, Christmas is more to do with themes such as giving and sharing. That by seeing pictures featuring people sharing gifts and smiles one would say that this is the fitting description of Christmas or the entire Yuletide season in itself, to the extent that "Christmas is for Children" with all the toys wrapped and placed in the Christmas tree until 25 or even up to New Year. This sharing and giving would say has become idealised as such, that sometimes those who are obviously selfish end compelleth to "give" all for the sake of the occasion.

Sorry for the view tho, for in speaking of those who are selfish, they sometimes wish that Christmas is all about "Giving" than "Sharing", all thinking about themselves even at the expense of others; that in their hearts they are all but themselves that sometimes forgetting what Christmas really meant except those of gifts, of bountiful feasts, anything consumeristic than the very essence of itself such as those of Christ and his yearness for change of heart. Thus, as people tend to enjoy the consumerist aspect of the season- that at times laced with some morals such as sharing and giving, do people really give and share from their hearts? Or just in that season alone as most of the time care much about themselves and their gratifications?

And from there at times these people forgot to remember God not just for the blessings given but also for a time to spend with him and seek forgiveness. Sounds "realtalk" isn't it to include that word "forgiveness" alongside "sharing" and "giving"? For the fact that people think Christmas as just fun alone, seeking repentance and forgiveness seems to "kill the joy" of a materialist-laden season, not knowing that the celebrant himself is born to raise people to the holy, eternal life for which the Lord created in the first place all in His image and likeness- and that image includes the will to forgive, to repent, to reconcile, all for the peace and goodwill everyone desires-and that's more valuable than the gifts being seen in the Christmas tree.


To be with him and in him in his struggle

What more that people forgot that the Savior comes to the people humbly and peaceably. For sure in seeing the replica of the manger that showeth the saviour's humility-that from there he takes the lowest, most vulnerable place for Himself: that being born to a Jewish family lived under the oppression of the Roman Empire and the cruelty of its vassal King Herod. He was born of the Virgin, surrounded by animals, and supported by a husband whose Angels spoke to him to raise God's child as his son. That along with prayers from shepherds and songs from angels gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh from the three wise men further  recognises the child's destiny as a saviour, king, and man whose life being an offering;

After an initial joy, the need to escape 

But that initial joy in Bethlehem soon comes the risks, that with Herod sensing the newborn child as a threat to his rule as king would force the holy family escape to Egypt by night, fleeing literally for their lives as soldiers killed every innocent child out of suspicion. That somehow would say he was born like the children today whose families flee from war and persecution in troubled nations.

That again, sounds "realtalk" in showing words like "Humility", or even "political" by comparing their flight to Egypt to those of escaping from a troubled nation, but again Christ's birth, what more his entire life on earth, showeth that he truly born, lived, died, and lived again all to bring hope, to bring people closer to his father more than those whose words be as different from their actions. He's indeed Kingly, but out of his Humility, He is indeed Godly, but out of his Humanity. These attributes would say that God, through Christ, hath sought Humanity's state and thus really need "help". And being an "Emmanuel" whose meaning "God is with us" would say that Christ, as the embodiment of God, has shared to the people hope through love, that in truth meant liberation, that humility is itself regal, that in his mercy brought compassion, attributes of a king who redeems his people all for the kingdom that's to come. True is opening lines of the Gospel of John’s description of Christ, that even those Messianic Jews who also adhere to Kabbalah agrees to its description, that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. . . . The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Shekhinah.”

Celebrating the Man who did raise his
fist and cleansed his Father's house

And to think that Christ did really need people help, then sorry if this may sound "Political" but one of his passages, such as Isiah 61:1, or even Matthew 10:34. The latter sounds even much "Political" as he said about bringing Sword than Peace, that may also sound encouraging people to rise up and take arms to bring justice in this world.

But come to think of this, that in his time would say that Christ, all after seeing a corrupt order such as in the temple, of moneylenders and vendors in its sacred premises, of interest-seeking priests at the expense of the poor, will he just get contented to this? No! of course! And from those words would say he wished to end that repressive and unjust order in which sin engenders it, all to affect his mission of justice in the world. And yes- his message such as coming from God is itself political, a subversive, and really provoking to an order that wishes of "peace" just to maintain its oppression.

***

Perhaps, to cut this note short, may people realise that Christ is the reason to celebrate this Yuletide season. He is the sun of justice that through his rays he provideth the warmth over everyone's cold heart if not the embrace of hope that in every being desired as such. And that by celebrating the true spirit of Christmas means in one with Christ all in fulfilling his vision of Hope, Peace, and Love through Mercy and Compassion that serves. This vision is more than just the gifts being given, or being broadcasted throughout these years and perhaps even in beyond.

Hope that in this season and in beyond, let people realise this vision and direction Christ hath taken, that in every struggle the drivel is for salvation, all for a just, liberating, and lasting peace.