'What is good with the spirit of Christmas when it is wrapped with lots of bad news and doubts around?' A priest, in his sermon asked the parishioners. The question echoed deep into my own spirit and a very clear answer is whispered back into my spiritual ear.
In the middle of all miseries, wars, famine, natural calamities, and other catastrophes the celebratrion of Christmas brings HOPE to every believers. The first coming of Jesus did bring some light in the middle of darkness. The Good News about the Kingdom which Jesus told every Christian faithfuls is relived and reinforced every season of lent. We are reminded by celebrating Christmas that the promise is yet to be fulfilled. And there's no way to relax because the battle is still going on. And only those who stay by His side who will reap the fruits of their labor.
When people questioned the real date and time of Christmas, they are looking into the event in a human perspective. For me the true date and season doesn't matter. It is the message that the celebration of the event is what we are after. Whether Christ is born in February or June or December I don't really care. The celebration reminds us that Jesus really came and gave us HOPE despite the troubles of life.
Accepting that this world is chaotic would lead us to think that life on Earth is really miserable. But believeing that Jesus came to show as the way, the truth, and life then we know that the burdern is light.
