The month of December spells merriment, weddings, holidays, gifts, surprises and all such grandiose stuff. This year round, as preparations began, I was disheartened that one of my favourite Christmas sweet treats, the Milk toffee turned out below my expectations. Though managing to barely rectify my error in the nick of time, I was despondent and I didn’t have much cheer in me to carry on with the list of treats that I was suppose to execute. So I gathered all my strength and told myself that surely I would see success over the next couple of them. Humming to the tunes of Noels helped me regain my composure. I convinced myself that it wouldn’t matter if imperfection was going to be a mandatory trait through all my trials. Well at least the element of love was going to render it a personal touch.
Growing up through my childhood days and anticipating the festive spirit meant sending out greeting cards and exchange of sweets. Each year unfailingly, my home is adorned with old Christmas cards reminiscing the days of yore. It’s time when we get sentimental feeling nostalgic while drooling over the memories that we hold dear to our hearts.
While some will bemoan the loss of loved ones, still others find the strength to live with faith as it encompasses forgiveness and mercy. After 2000 years, lamenting the fact that Mary had no other place other rather than the Inn to give birth to our Saviour makes no sense. Today we ask ourselves the question, “Do we have room in our hearts to welcome our Lord once again?” Or are we consumed by the allurements and the sales that will bring respite to our pockets? As years advance and circumstances change, the festival of Jesus’ birth has incurred more materialism into it.
With the advent of digitisation, instead of feeling closeness and warmth, the chill in the air has made us cold and insensitive. It has become customary for us to exchange text messages and wishes. We go about our lives trusting God to do the needful. How many of us are really concerned about the welfare of our brothers and sisters who linger in despondency and persevere to find meaning in all these festivities? It’s much easier doing a generous favour to the underprivileged for a day then being present in the lives of people that have lost their mental faculties. Humans as we are, we err and ask forgiveness through confession. But do we really have the tenacity to offer a personal apology for the hurts we have caused?
The word became flesh and God revealed himself through the incarnation of his only begotten son Jesus Christ. May this holiday season be a time for reconciliation, sharing and giving.
As the birth of a child heralds joy and happy tidings, what gift will you bring unto Him that is worthy of you becoming a messenger of his love?
