Christmas should not come from a store

Dec 21, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
Soon we will be celebrating Christmas, with the mass celebrating the birth of Jesus the Christ — the Messenger. Across a country shaken by spiraling crime rates, lamentable road death fatalities, unabated domestic violence, the stores are festooned with lights, music fills the air and, despite the dismal realities of most, there is still talk of good cheer. Everywhere there is a visible rush to change around the house, buy presents, get new this and that the party season is in full swing.
The Christmas season is here! Sadly what is truly missing is the reason for who we celebrate the season: Jesus Himself. For as we rush around His name is never mentioned except in certain carols. In essence truth and reality, Christmas is not really about Santa Claus, Jolly ole St. Nick , Father Christmas or any other names by which he may be known. It is also not a mere holiday, although we have always treated it as such. It is a holy day. For far too many, the presence of presents denotes the absence of the gift of Jesus the Christ, “to proclaim good news to the poor, sight to the blind, and freedom) to the oppressed. We have also failed or still refuse to see that Jesus was representative of most of today’s humanity — despised, denied, damned and dispossessed.
Like a large percentage of the world’s population, Jesus was born poor and strange but true, he too was also a refugee. Closer to home, like more than one-third of the world population, His family did not have access to adequate health care. His mother was forced to deliver in a stable as there was no room at the stable’s inn.
Jesus accumulated no worldly wealth, and did not attempt to rob anyone to acquire same, instead he sought to empower and enrich the most decimated. We will be judged, He told us, by how we treat “the least of these.” We will be graded on how we treat the stranger on the Jericho Road.
He would not expect us to run up monetary debts trying to celebrate his birthday, but to build up generosity credits instead. What about spending some time to feed the hungry, visit the sick and shut-in, comforting those who sorrow especially those who have lost loved ones to crime, domestic or otherwise, or simply clothing the poorer clad? Let it be fully understood that you do not need to be a Christian to understand the relevance of this story today.
Jesus taught us the overwhelming power of faith, hope and charity, the importance of love, and the obligation to fight for peace and justice. Christmas should be treated as the “Poor Peoples’ Holy Day” and not be co-opted through commercialization by the rich, the powerful and the greedy as their holiday. This Holy Day belongs to all. So, let us make Heaven and Jesus happy this Christmas, by facing all the presenting problems, terrors and tribulations together as a people and turning to each in love, not against each other in fear. A heart changing attitude that should prevail long after the birthday celebration has ended. Remember Christmas should not come from a store, but instead let it mean love a little more.
Yvonne Sam

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