Christmas Message of Bishop of Colombo: Walk in the light of God in times of darkness

At a time of uncertainty, darkness, and chaos in our dear land, let us resolve to walk in the light of Jesus so that the light of the incarnation would illuminate the darkness that threatens to engulf us all, Rt. Revd. Bishop of Colombo Dhiloraj R. Canagasabey said in his Christmas message.
“Christmas invites us to reflect on the duality or paradox and reminds us of the humility, servant-hood and sacrificial death of Jesus the Messiah and of the path that we followers of the Master must ourselves tread,” he said in his message.

The Message said:

“We approach the end of another calendar year and the dawn of the Christmas season. For us humans, it is so very easy to lose focus, when something becomes too familiar and this is more so with Christmas.
The many external elements associated with this deeply spiritual festival of the coming into this world of a baby who scripture refers to as ‘lmmanuel - God himself with us’, hides and makes us forget the true meaning and significance of Christmas.

"The many external elements associated with this deeply spiritual festival of the coming into this world of a baby who scripture refers to as ‘Immanuel - God himself with us’, hides and makes us forget the true meaning and significance of Christmas"

The Gospel writers, Mathew and Luke do not also hide the striking paradoxes between the nature of this baby, who is referred to as the ‘Messiah, Prince of Peace, Saviour, Christ the Lord, Holy One, Son of the Most High, King of the Jews......,on the one hand, and the circumstances of his birth on the other; in the backyard of a lodging house, to a carpenter and his humble peasant wife, his first visitors, keepers of animals, very low, down in the social hierarchy.
This duality is seen right through the short earthly life of Jesus, hailed as the, Teacher, Master, Rabbi, Anointed One, Messiah, Son of God, he prefers to refer to himself as the ‘Son of Man’, as one ‘come to serve, rather than to be served’, as ‘having no place of his own to rest’.
Finally, he is publicly executed like a common criminal.

Christmas invites us to reflect on this duality or paradox and reminds us of the humility, servant-hood and sacrificial death of Jesus the Messiah and of the path that we followers of the Master must ourselves tread.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; On those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned”. (Isaiah 9:2-7)
At a time of uncertainty, darkness, and chaos in our dear land, let us resolve to walk in that light so that the light of the incarnation will illuminate the darkness that threatens to engulf us all.
I wish all our peoples a blessed, meaningful and joyful season of Christmas and God’s Peace in the New Year.”