Christmas 2015 - Hope amidst gloom?

This year we celebrate Christmas in an environment of national gloom, depression and despair. This is due to the action of the government which imposes all sorts of unreasonable restrictions on religious minorities, in particular the Christians. Even celebrating Christmas freely may become a problem for us in the country. The government is indifferent to our plight and hopes for a better future for us and our children. We are being made to feel strangers in our own country.

For some of us even our personal and family lives are in disarray with members who were once united as a family are becoming separated due to misunderstanding over petty disputes. Families are divided with loss of the most important essence, love and understanding. To many of us Christmas is not as joyous as it used to be when we were young.

 Despite this sense of hopelessness in the country and our families, we still continue to celebrate this special day with great hope as it is the birth of none other than the man who came to save us from all our woes. Yes, Jesus came to us in the most humble way, being born in the wilderness in a stable among the poor shepherds and their flock. He did not come as a King as we expected but as a poor shepherd. He demonstrated extreme humility as example for each one of us.
 

Christmas is a celebration of hope and despite the gloom over us let us have the hope which the infant Jesus represents.
 

We all have our problems, who doesn’t? Despite our setbacks, let us adopt the virtue of humility in our lives and try our best to reach out to those who are worse off than us and at the same time touch someone with our gestures of love, compassion and simplicity. Let us try to get rid of all ill feelings towards those who have hurt us, especially towards our family members and friends.

It is the hope in Jesus that gives us the strength and inspiration to plough on through our difficulties in our country and our families. God knows what is best for us so let’s move on with full trust in Him.May this Christmas bring back its sweet magic into your lives once more.

Wishing you and your family a very blessed and merry Christmas.