The Meaning Of Christmas For Us

• Jesus’ selfless love for oppressed people; manifested also by his humble leadership, assuming also the role of a slave at his Last Supper. Jesus had also given an example of a servant leader
• Only a symbol (a Cross) was erected for Jesus on Calvary, by religious and political leaders with the connivance of the Romans, who felt threatened by Jesus’ selfless love for oppressed people

Christmas is the feast of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem in a very poor environment and brought up in a social environment (Nazareth) which had not received much social recognition. He is hailed as a world-leader who opted to dedicate his life to make people who were oppressed and humiliated filled with esteem, joy and peace. To such a noble mission of compassionate and merciful love, Jesus was innovatively faithful by his preaching, teaching, loving service and by his simple life-style. 

The Word of God in the Bible tells us that Jesus preached a Rule of covenanted (never withdrawn) love which was very much challenging to the oppressors prophetically, but empowering the oppressed; namely the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the sick, the emotionally disturbed and the socially excluded population. Jesus’ prophetic words and actions empowered the above mentioned oppressed individuals and groups to experience fuller life and joy. Jesus himself had said that he was born so that people may have abundant life (Jn 10:10).  Fr. Edward Schillebeeckx, OP, in his book on the Christian Experience in the world, has said that Jesus was executed, evidently because he had spoken of a God who was concerned for people and who therefore required people to be concerned for their fellow men and women (cf “Christ, The Christian Experience in the Modern World”). 

To such a noble mission of compassionate and merciful love, Jesus was innovatively faithful by his preaching, teaching, loving service and by his simple life-style

Jesus was born not to leave behind symbols of power and social prestige after his name, but to serve the people who were in pain. Only a symbol (a cross) was erected for Jesus on Calvary, by religious and political leaders with the connivance of the Romans, who felt threatened by Jesus’ selfless love for oppressed people; manifested also by his humble leadership, assuming also the role of a slave at his Last Supper. Jesus had also given an example of a servant leader
Many world leaders have been inspired by Jesus’ life. Among such world leaders, I like to mention the name of President Julius Nyerere of Tanganyika who was very much enlightened by the life and loving selfless services of Jesus of Nazareth, and who had dedicated his life as a genuine national leader to raise the quality of life of the people in his country. President Nyerere was a leader who shunned images of power and prestige. 

May the unfailing covenantal love of God manifested through the humanity of Jesus enlighten and inspire many political leaders in Sri Lanka to raise the quality of life of the destitute, poor, neglected and disadvantaged persons in our Sri Lankan soil, disregarding the social status, race, caste, ethnicity, religion, language etc. May the life and the spirituality of Jesus enlighten the hearts and minds of many to promote the dignity of disadvantaged persons and their human rights and also to care for the families in pain inflicted by the Easter Bomb blasts, and also for the families without proper shelter, the unemployed, the under-employed, the hungry masses, families living without medical and sanitary facilities, children without opportunities and facilities for education and the families living in unhealthy environments, etc.  The flourishing of life of every human person depends also on the flourishing of life of Mother Earth. Jesus loved nature. His teaching and preaching included examples from Mother Earth. Both the poor and the natural environment need to be respected and cared for, not exploited for personal gain and/or for group aggrandizement. The celebration of the birth of Jesus is inviting us to re-commit ourselves to care also for Mother Earth, since she is crying “due to the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use and abuse of the resources with which God has endowed her”( Pope Francis in his document, Laudato Si, No 2). 

Jesus was born not to leave behind symbols of power and social prestige after his name, but to serve the people who were in pain