Christmas is all about God’s infinite, loving presence with us: Emmanuel. It is about love and abiding relationships, leading humans to communion with God, with one another and the cosmos. Christmas thus celebrates the gift of Emmanuel – the guiding light of God in the unfolding history of humans. God entered history in human form, fulfilling the prophesies with uncoercive love, to love even his enemies into loving. The birth of Christ planted hope in the heart of history. Each one of us is a bearer of that message of hope and a beacon of light.

We just celebrated the life of Nelson Mandala, who lived and worked for freedom, equality and the acceptance of diversity. A man who lived a dream of a ‘rainbow nation’ that can aid life in its fullness to be lived with unlimited possibilities.  A person who made dreams a reality through sacrifice, perseverance and forgiveness. A person who was able to get to know oneself, leaving behind the bitterness of solicitude, turning that into an opportunity with an inbuilt sense of hope. Christmas permeates a sense of hope and augments a bright future lead by a star.

We live in a world where there are human right violations, social injustices, political corruptions, religious scandals, gender discriminations, domestic violence, vested political and economic interests, child abuses, insurgency, ethno- centrism and ethnic conflicts on one side, while on the other the undying tenacity, resilience and conquering spirit that finds expression in new inventions and discoveries to make this world a better place to live in. Our media often carries such stories that pronounce aloud that God is not fully disheartened with humans.  

We live in a cyber-world of scientific and technological development which does tremendous good; but it also tends to be destructive and promotes new forms of slavery. Technology has helped us to add years to life but not always life to years. We live in a world of instant global communications which shrink global distances but which leave us strangers to our next door neighbours. We live in a world of ruptured relationships and broken families. In a period of rapid change such as we face today, we are energized most profoundly by our relationships, rather than by acquiring more possessions and facilities. A hope, which is unshakeable and which creates civilizations, comes from being inspired from beyond ourselves to have faith together. Like the wise men, in the bible story, we can take a true reading of the star which leads us to the source of hope, to him who comes from beyond our own planning and scheming to live among us in human form. Christmas is a time to pause, reflect, and enjoy the simple blessings of the season giving each an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends, to capture its joy, to experience its peace and comfort and to wonder at the sights and sounds of the holidays.

The celebration of the birth of Christ reminds us to uphold human dignity and to nurture respect for all forms of life especially in the wake of the religious violence, ethnic conflicts, armed revolutions and intolerance that threaten the peace of India, the cradle of ancient religions whose hallmark has traditionally been marked by openness and tolerance. We also remember in this season all those who lost their lives, especially those men, women, and children whose hopes and lives have been shattered due to the religious and ethnic violence in different parts of the world especially in our own Northeast. Christmas, provides us with an opportunity to pray not only for the victims but also for the perpetrators of violence/injustice that they may see the light of reason, respect, and law! The celebration of Christmas challenges us to earnestly seek to promote peace, harmony, and understanding, at a time of widespread exploitations of humanity and of nature.

To struggle for justice and meet only stubbornness, to try to rally with those who have despaired, to stand by the side of misery we cannot relieve, takes immense courage and hope. Because she was rooted in that hope, Mother Teresa of Calcutta brought hope and dignity to millions of poor people around the globe. Concerning the influence of hope on Mahatma Gandhi, Rabidranath Tagore wrote, “ the genius of India has taken from her aggressors the most spiritually significant principle of their culture and fashioned of it a new message of hope for mankind.” Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation, preached love and nonviolence to bring a world power to its knees to attain political freedom for our great nation. He brought dignity and hope to many, particularly to those who were oppressed by the caste system. He preached and lived the message of non-violence, thus radiating hope for a future rooted in love.

The Christmas story is a tale retold year after year, yet never losing its majesty; never ceasing to fill our hearts with wonder.  Christmas is poised at the end of one year and at the beginning of the next – at the crossroads of the past and the future.  A previous year, with its blessings and its trials, has passed.  A new year looms ahead, full of uncertainty.  Yet, here is Christmas – the celebration of a birth that took place 2000 years ago – a perennial bright spot on our calendars – a reminder that God gives us hope.  Hope is the one unifying gift and that hope will help us all through these dark times. Christmas is a time of hope. 

Rabidranath Tagore preached the message of hope and the omnipresence of God through his literary works. His writings deeply reflect the belief that humanity can and will stand up to the challenges of life by being rooted in hope. A hope which calls us to look beyond ourselves, to recognize the other, and to bring liberation and freedom within and around ourselves even though it is sometimes burdensome.

What we should be focusing on more is the precious gift that Christ's coming gives us. I believe that more than anything else, the message of Christmas is HOPE. However, it is not just a hope we receive but a hope that should radiate from us and influence and inspire those we come into contact with. Yes, the message of Christmas is HOPE. But it is a hope that results from humility, obedience, patience, and empathy. It is a hope that comes with a desire for change but with a conviction that it must start from within. Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible  and achieves the impossible.

Christmas is also a time to look beyond ourselves and to reach out to others. A time to capture a glimpse of God whose gift is hope. A time to look beyond what we see, however bleak it might seem, to discover signs of goodness and of beauty, of hope, and of joy wherever people are trying to do their best. At times it is hard not to feel down-hearted when our best does not seem good enough: when things go wrong with our relationships despite our best intentions; when tragedy hits families or communities both near and far; when so much of our news is about violence, destroying people and the environment.

When we accept the invitation to look beyond the surface, we become open signals of hope to ourselves, our families and our world. This part of God’s gift is celebrated today but does not stop there. God invites us to look beyond. There is no failure the Lord’s love cannot reverse, no humiliation he cannot exchange for blessing, no anger he cannot dissolve, and no routine he cannot transfigure.

It may be time to recommit ourselves for the development of the nation as the national elections are at hand, with new promises and opportunities of hope that may be translated to opportunity for many. May this Christmas enable us to celebrate diversities as we continue to celebrate the founder of the “rainbow nation.” May our ethnic or religious identities unite us in creativity and resolve in addressing challenges of 21^st century.

May the wishes of kindness, love, and hope we exchange in these days reach all sectors of our daily lives! May peace be in our hearts.  May hope grounded in brotherhood lead us onward!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !!!