Christmas

THE first human experience of Christ was the act of rejection. In fact, he was rejected even before He was born. When Mary and Joseph were looking for a place in which Mary could give birth they tried the inns which they saw. But nothing. The response was the same. We have no room. There is no room at the inn.

Having a fascination for words, I looked at up the word inn and I found out that the word means, within or inside. And if you put that in the context of this story then it becomes even more compelling. In effect it says, we just do not have rooms, we do not have rooms within or inside.

So having left with no choice Mary and Joseph had to seek shelter somewhere, anywhere. They found a manger. Again I tried to look for the origin of the word manger. I smiled when I saw it. The origin of manger is mangere which means to eat.

So here we are with that. The first human experience Christ felt was rejection. But that did not stop Christ. In fact His first act it seems was to tell everyone, here I am, partake of me. Eat my body and drink my blood. Don't you notice the Baby Jesus in most belen scenes. The Baby Jesus has his arms always half outstretched as if to say, come closer and let me embrace you. And if you strain his arms more, you will have the outstretched hands of Jesus hanging from the cross.

All of us have in some way, somehow, somewhere been rejected. People have turned their backs on us telling us we have no room for you. All sorts of people have rejected us. Friends, peers and family. And it is not easy being rejected. It is painful and to people who have been rejected the natural reaction to all this would be to be angry, bitter or enraged. And people being people, we would understand that. But Christ is Christ and He had a totally different response to this rejection. He held out His hands to say, come, partake of me. Eat my body and drink my blood. I offer you my life because I love you. Inspite of people telling Him, we have no room for you, Christ responds with in my Father's house are many rooms and I will prepare them for you.

The whole reason for Christmas is the cross. Bethlehem is Calvary. Christ came because He loved us. God gave His Son because He wants us. Often we hear that over worn phrase that Jesus came to save us. Save us from what? Our sins we automatically answer. Perhaps but there is another dimension. Christ came to save us from our selves. From our doubts, fears and anxieties. Time and time again you hear and read those words. Jesus came to save us from ourselves and if you look at the world it makes perfect sense. If you pause and take a look at the world you will see all the madness and the senselessness. If you pause and take a look at yourself you will see all your anger and your doubts. But like in all things, salvation is a personal thing. God shows you the door, you choose to remain or open the door.

Christmas should be a spiritual celebration and not some materialistic splurge of food and wine and gifts. Christmas ought to be silent and serene and not rowdy and gustatory. Christmas should be about lighted candles flickering in a quiet chapel of reflection and not drunken stupors and endless buffet tables.

This Christmas, do you have room for Christ?

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