Carols are being sung. Children wait with earnest delight to open their gifts. Churches are ready to conduct their worship services. Christmas for Sri Lankan Christians will be quite different this year. The primary and the most significant Christian festival which is Easter was marred by the terrible attacks on churches and selected hotels by terrorists, where many were killed leaving behind many others injured. Our nation was plunged into a deep sense of shock. This has been a life changing tragedy for all of them, and the Sri Lankan people in general. We were able to collectively draw on the spiritual wells of our religions and ensure that this tragedy did not result in more bloodshed which would have been the intention of those who planned the evil act.
Christmas is considered a major Christian festival globally and locally. Therefore, for many Christmas will be a difficult time this December as there will be painful memories of those who they lost during the Easter Sunday attacks. Celebrating Christmas will be equally difficult for those who have been afflicted with life altering injuries, making them dependent. In this context, one may ask how we can celebrate this festival as a community, when our fellow Christians silently mourn those who perished. There remain emotional scars that need healing, and healing takes time- it is a continuing process.
First we need to ask ourselves what is remembered or celebrated during Christmas. Simply put, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the divine Christ Child. Who is this child? In human terms he is the son of Mary the wife of Joseph. As St. Luke recorded the event, Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Before they were married, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she will be with a Child who will be the Messiah.
Mary and Joseph were forced to travel to Bethlehem due to a census ordered by the defiant Caesar Augustus. Away from the comforts of a home, the confinement took place in a cattle shed as the young couple could not find room elsewhere. The first visitors were humble shepherds.
According to the gospel of Matthew, initially, Joseph even though he was reluctant, accepted Mary who was pregnant with child. Their visitors in this narrative were Magi, who journeyed from the East, who went to the palace of Herod to look for the newborn King assuming the birth to be of some royal significance.
They were guided by a celestial star to the home of the Holy Family. The unintentional visit to Herod’s palace results in the insolent king’s sense of insecurity being suddenly evoked. Herod wanting to eliminate any threat to his supreme reign ordered the slaughter of babies less than two years of age, which created great trepidation. The Holy Family was therefore forced to seek asylum in Egypt.
John in his Gospel philosophically explains the event as the Word becoming flesh which is explained in the creeds as Incarnation, God becoming Human.
Two other forms of imagery used in this gospel while unfolding the incarnation are; life and light that shines in the darkness.
How can this relate to us in Sri Lanka in 2019? We as a nation and people continue to find answers to important questions. We are a nation bestowed with bountiful natural resources.
Our cultural diversity is our strength. We have been blessed with the influence of other religions that also foster peace, tolerance, forgiveness and goodwill. Yet we have witnessed dark chapters in our history, like other nations.
Therefore, Sri Lankans are not strangers to tragedy induced by violence, riots, displacement, disappearance and terror attacks. Thankfully, we Sri Lankans have been a resilient people with an indomitable will to overcome our challenges.
As we prepare to enter 2020 how can we find meaning to life from the Christmas story in this context? The boy child born as per the gospel narratives entered a world facing similar tragedies - in a different time and nation. The might of the Roman Empire was felt by all under them.
There were rebellions against this empire. Local monarchs such as Herod caused more chaos by ordering the killing of the innocent. It was during this dark chapter that Jesus was born on earth, as a vulnerable baby. His life, ministry, death and resurrection became good news to the world. Jesus engaged in his ministry - laced with love and compassion demonstrating that light will overcome darkness.
A single candle in a dark room dispels darkness. Christ due to his glorious resurrection proved that death will not prevail. The grave has no grip on the believer. Our assurance is that Light and Life will prevail.
As a community, with some of us mourning, we are challenged to illustrate our faith in Jesus Christ who conquered sin, darkness and death on the Cross. We are challenged to celebrate the lives of those who died this year due to the senseless act of terror, comforted by the peace of mind released by the Blessed Holy Spirit. May that never fading light of Jesus Christ steadily lighten our paths, guiding us daily, as we rise to reflect this light upon our beloved nation.
Wishing you all a blessed Christmas!