The birth of every child
brings the message that God wants the world to continue, that he is not yet fed
up with the ingratitude and sinfulness of the human race. In most cultures in
the world, the birth of a child is a cause for great rejoicing and celebration.
How much more profound and joyful must this celebration be if the child, born
in our midst, is the Son of God?
Christmas is the birth, not
merely of a child, but the birth of the child who would change the destiny of
humans forever. It is the celebration of the unconditional love of a gracious
and generous God who holds nothing back but gives of his very self. It is the
celebration of the fact that God wanted so much to be part of the human race
that he took on flesh and blood, and thus, became limited so that he could
reveal to us our own limitlessness.
This is what the second
reading from the letter to the Hebrews speaks about. Though God had been
constantly conversing with humanity from the beginning of creation, through
prophets and kings, through blessings and punishments, these did not seem to
have had the desired effect. Humanity, as a whole, moved further and further
away from God. Thus, in the fullness of time, God decided that the way to draw
people back to himself would be if he became one like them, in every aspect of
their being. This was so that he could feel with our feelings, think with our
thoughts and, in doing so, show us who we are meant to be.
The prologue of John, which
is the Gospel text for today, echoes this idea when, at the centre, it speaks
about the “logos” (the word) becoming “sarx” (flesh) and dwelling among us.
This means that the abstract, the indecipherable, the incomprehensible, and the
inconceivable, through one decisive act, become concrete, decipherable, comprehensible,
and conceivable. The impossible has become possible.
The possibilities that the
birth of Jesus have opened up are innumerable. No longer is humanity a
disadvantage or a limitation. No longer is humanity something to be looked down
upon or to be ashamed of. No longer is humanity weakness. After the birth of
Jesus, humanity takes on a new look and a new meaning. Now, there are no
limits. Now, humanity need not be confined.
Now, there are no restrictions on how far we can go. Jesus has shown the way.
However, even as this is
true, there is another, and sad, side to the story. The prologue explains it by
stating that “the darkness tried to overcome the light”, and “he came unto his
own, but his own received him not”. Surprising, astounding, and startling as
this may sound, it was true of the time when Jesus came. It continues to be true even today. Darkness
constantly tries to overcome light.
Why would darkness try to
overcome the light? Why would his own not receive him? The answer to these
questions can be found in the person of Jesus and all for which he stands.
First, when he came, he did not come as many were expecting, in pomp, in splendour,
and in glory. He did not come, as many would have wanted, mounted on a horse.
He did not choose to be born in a palace, as kings usually are. He came in
humility, in nothingness, and in total helplessness. He came in the form of a
child. This kind of a God seemed, and still seems, an aberration to some and
they cannot, they will not, accept him. Second, in a world where authority is
interpreted as domination and where rulers expect to be served and not to serve,
Jesus’ approach of interpreting authority as service, and his desire to serve
and not be served, was regarded as an anomaly. Third, when all logic seems to
point to the fact that it is better to have more and accumulate as much as one
can for oneself rather than share with others, the life of Jesus, a life spent
for the well being of others, was an abnormality. In other words, when Jesus
came, he did not fit the pre-conceived and stereotyped notions that people had.
He was different, and difference, because it may not be understood, is often rejected.
Yet, despite this rejection
of the Word, there is a note of hope and promise. There continue to be people who will choose
light over darkness, who will choose selflessness over selfishness. There will
continue to be people who will fight for justice and will never give up this
cause. There will continue to be people who will generously give, not only of
their wealth, but also, of themselves, in imitation of the one who became human
and gave all. Those who opt for the light can continue to do so because their
openness to the Incarnate Word and all that he stands for makes them open to receive
grace upon grace from him. This abundance of grace continues to sustain them through
the most trying times. It gives them the
courage never to give up or to give in, but to continue and carry on.
By taking on our humanity,
Jesus has shown us that we can be divine. He has shown us how far we can go,
even in our humanity. We can love more, we can dare more, we can believe more,
and we can be more. Nothing is now outside the scope of our humanity which,
after the birth of Jesus, is no longer a limitation but an advantage. The
oracle of Isaiah, composed towards the end of the exile, and which announces
the return of the exiles to Jerusalem,
finds its fulfilment in the birth of Jesus. Captivity and limitation have come
to an end. Now, only freedom and limitlessness are real.
Thus, Christmas is not
merely the celebration of a historical birth that took place over two thousand
years ago. It is about becoming conscious of who we really are as human beings.
It is the celebration of life in all its fullness. It is the celebration of the
transformation of limit to limitlessness, of selfishness to selflessness, of
bondage to freedom, and of fear to unconditional love.
Those who dare to accept the
light and walk in its ways begin to realize that God, himself, walks with them
and ahead of them. They know that God does not stay distant from them, remote
and isolated. Rather, they know that, in
Jesus, God chose to live with humanity in the midst of human weakness,
confusion, and pain. This bond holds true for all times and all places. To
become flesh is to know joy, pain, suffering, and loss. It is to love, to
grieve, and someday, to die. The incarnation binds Jesus to the “everydayness”
of human experience. The Word lived among us, not simply in the world. The Word
became flesh and the Word’s name is Jesus Christ. This Jesus continues to be
born in our midst, even today. When selflessness triumphs over selfishness,
when generosity triumphs over greed, and when light overcomes darkness, then is
Jesus born, again, and again, and every day is Christmas.
