Many of us are well acquainted with the Christmas story. Mary and Joseph had journeyed to Bethlehem and the time had come for Mary to give birth to Jesus Christ who was to be the Saviour of the world. They sought shelter but were turned away. As a result, a stable was the birthplace of our Lord. When we read the Christmas story, we perhaps wonder why no one offered Mary and Joseph shelter. We may even think that if persons knew that the child Mary was carrying was the Messiah, they would not have been turned away. I am sure many of us would declare, with hindsight of course, that we would have treated them differently.
The Christmas story is a powerful reminder of the selfishness of humankind. How many times have we turned away people in genuine need of our help? Does our response to people depend on their perceived status in society? I often watch with amazement the hustle and bustle that accompanies the Christmas season. Somehow, all the cries about economic hardship seem to dissipate when it’s Christmas. There’s money for new furniture, curtains and throw pillows. Boat-loads of people head to St Maarten/St. Martin for the latest in appliances, electronics and jewellery. Children must have the newest toys and gaming systems, even though we know they won’t last more than a week. Supermarkets are jammed to capacity with people purchasing the ingredients and drinks for the Christmas feast. Everything is overdone and overspent.
It’s hard to hear the Christmas message – “Peace on earth, goodwill towards men” – over all the uproar associated with the Christmas preparations. It almost seems, that amidst all the preparations, we have left no room for Jesus. How many of us are spreading the message of peace and goodwill? Our society is crumbling. Mothers are crying over the death or incapacitation of their children. Fathers are angry because they are unemployed. Families are hungry and some are homeless. Are we any better than the inn-keeper? Have we made room in our lives or our homes for the less fortunate among us? If all our preparations did not involve reaching out to others, then we have missed the mark. Jesus Christ is interested in our treatment of others, not our “window treatments”.
We therefore ought not to take too much pleasure in the abundance of things we have accumulated this Christmas season, but rather take pleasure in doing good for our fellow human beings. Jesus comes to us in many forms. He may come as a neighbour in need. Will we welcome him in or will we turn him away? Let us pledge in our hearts this year to give the gifts of peace and goodwill. These gifts will not break or rot. They are invaluable, yet they cost us nothing. They can be passed on from one person to another. Passing them on does not cause them to diminish, but rather to increase in magnitude. These simple gifts involve caring, sharing and living harmoniously with each other. I am certain that if our society was to focus less on the accumulation of material things, and more on living by the basic principles of the Christmas message, we would be plagued by less social ills. I appeal to all of us to make room for others this Christmas season. By doing so, we will be making room for Jesus.
