Birth of Jesus: Where are we?

Wednesday, 25 December 2019 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Revd. Fr. S.D.P. Selvan

Oh Mary, Joseph and Shepherds,

Birth of Jesus was good news for you all.

Because you all had to pay a cost

to experience a bright future for your community.

Oh Herod and your ruling party,

Birth of Jesus was a bad news for you all.

Because you all knew that it would cost you

to experience loss and emptiness.

Oh Wise-men,

Birth of Jesus was an opportunity which made you

go through the experience of conversion.

Because you all opt to see baby Jesus

in the cattle shed of the oppressors first and

this brought suffering and death to innocent babies and

made Holy Family become refugees.

So what brings ‘Birth of Jesus’ to us in 2019?

If we are on the side of Mary, Joseph and Shepherds

there would be certainty, joy and hope.

If we are on the side of Herod, and oppressive rulers

we have unhappiness and despair.

If we follow the Wise-men,

we will have joy and hope

even in the midst of innocent suffering, death

and persecution.

Who are we? Where are we?

(The writer is from the Theological College of Lanka, Pilimatalawa.