BY EDITOR
25th December 2012
The countdown to the big day always sees people across nations and continents exchange goodwill messages, many highly sentimental and inspirational.
Scores of distinguished scholars have made a memorable comment or two on Christmas and why it is worth celebrating.
There are those who believe that the joy of brightening other people’s lives, bearing each other’s burdens, and filling empty hearts and lives with generous gifts and words of encouragement represents the true magic and spirit of Christmas.
Mother Teresa once happily put it thus: “It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you... yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.”
Indeed, that is precisely how humankind ought to see and live every passing festive season – fully convinced that Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.
Yet, it’s not always that people join Washington Irving in sincerely acknowledging that Christmas ought to be a season for “kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial fire of charity in the heart”.
Millions across the globe will be spending Boxing Day opening presents, many without having opened their hearts first or appreciating the fact that Christmas is but a state of mind manifested in the cherishing of peace and goodwill and in being plenteous in mercy.
This ought to be an opportunity for people to extend unconditional love and compassion to all those badly in need of such healing and motivating feelings.
But what do we witness in the real world? If what we are currently seeing in our own backyard in Tanzania is anything to go by, genuinely satisfying celebration of Christmas is still light years away.
For just how can one suggest that we are anywhere near there when we keep seeing sudden hikes in the prices of consumables and a wide array of other essential items as well as in commuter bus fares, etc., etc.?
Come to think of it, to what extent is it also an expression of the spirit of Christmas when mutual suspicion, acrimony and vendettas continue to reign, often culminating in callous forms of discrimination and savagery?
And if the laudable spirit truly abounds, why should anyone think it makes sense for people to wait until the festive season to prove that?
Honestly, we will only concur with those convinced that unless we make Christmas time to share both our blessings and our burdens, even the snow of Alaska won’t make it white.
Christmas will make enough sense only when people realise that it is love in action and – to steal from Helen Steiner Rice – that peace on earth will come to stay only when people live Christmas every day.
May we, then, all celebrate aware that the best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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