EDITORIAL
It isn’t Christmas without…
The first Christmas used to be a simple and solemn birth of our
savior, our redeemer. It is a cause for celebration because mankind is
given the best gift of salvation without a price tag.
The way Christmas is celebrated today not only completely departs
from its true meaning but also pressures us to spend on things we do not
need. “It isn’t Christmas without the parties with lavish food and drinks” is
a statement so effective to drain our pockets. The result: the extra 13th-
month pay of the employees, which they receive once a year only, will
vanish into thin air amid celebrations that feign happiness and abundance.
There is no need to buy ‘heaven’ as it is a gift, and we only need to
accept it by faith. Regrettably, Christ’s gift of salvation more often lies in
the deep recesses of our consciousness amid the revelries inspired by
materialism. Rather than celebrating the journey to the manger and His death on the cross, pretentious parties take center stage in Christmas celebrations veering us away from the real essence of the yuletide season – the gift of salvation.
While accepting salvation is a cause for celebration, let us remember
that the child Jesus was not laid in a manger by accident. Farmers ensure
that their mangers are always well-supplied with fodder so the animals
would never go hungry. With Jesus lying on the hay, we can always go to
the manger for spiritual food. He has always been and will always be an
infinite storehouse for spiritual nourishment.
Our present dispensation may be a turbulent journey – a world with
chaos, hunger, injustice, hatred, and all other manifestations of human
frailties. As long as we do not lose our faith, these challenges will not
destroy us; instead, they will fortify us and intensify our yearning for
eternal happiness.