During the Christmas season we exchange gifts, we send greetings to friends and well-wishers, and we visit relatives – All these are expression of recognizing people we know and celebration of friendship. Christmas is also an expression of recognizing strangers and unknown people and to wish them well.
St Ignatius has introduced ‘Contemplation’ as one of the prayer methods: You imagine a historical event and visualize that it is taking place in the present with you as an active participant. For example, while contemplating the nativity of Jesus, Ignatius would suggest that you are there seeing Joseph, Mary, and the Baby Jesus, listening to their conversation, experiencing the surrounding in the cattle shed, and if possible to help them whenever possible (SpEx 114).
Mary and Joseph had been searching for a place for the night stay, after a long and winding travel from Galilee, via Samaria, to Judea; but the city was overflowing since people have come from all corners for the Roman census registration. One kind hearted person, offers them his cattle shed as there was no place in his house too. Joseph and Mary come in and make arrangements to settle down for the night and they also bring in the donkey that came along with them.
The cattle murmur among themselves as to who they are and why they are there occupying their space. The donkey among them picks up a conversation with the donkey of Joseph and Mary and learns about the family and where they come from – The animals are very happy that their master has given them some place. Now, they gladly make space for them to stay with them. This is what Isaiah said long ago as, “The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger” (Is 1:3).
Then, it so happens that Mary delivers the Baby and places the Child on the manger. Though the animals were surprised as it would hinder their eating their straw or fodder from the manger, they understand and practice patience to give way to the Child. Suddenly, they were surprised to see a few shepherds entering the cattle shed and admiring the Baby and paying their respect to their fellow human beings. As the shepherd were engaged in conversation with the parents of the Child, one little sheep among them walks over to a sheep of the shepherd, and checks what was happening. It learns that angels told the shepherd that it was the divine Baby and so they came with joy to see the Child. And this information is shared with all the animals in the cattle shed and their respect for the Child and its parents grows up. They are happy that a divine Baby has chosen their place for his birth and they feel honoured.
As they express and exchange their surprise and joy with each other, they see three rich and wise men entering the cattle shed with very rich offerings as gift and they see camels as well standing outside who came along with the wise men. As the Wise Men were paying their respect and offering their gifts to the family, one of the camels in the shed goes out and gathers information from the camels of the Wise Men and shares with others how the wise men were led by a star to this place. The animals are excited that they could not only see the Divine Baby and the Holy Family but they feel blessed as they could share their dwelling place with them.
In this imaginary conversation and story, we see that all – animals, simple and poor Shepherds, rich and wise men – converge on to the little Babe of Bethlehem. Though they were total strangers to each other they recognize the little Child and recognize it as the divine Baby.
We normally recognize people we know and who are our friends or dear and near ones. Christmas brings home the point that we need to make even the strangers and those in need as our dear and near ones. Christmas is the time we recognize the goodness in others even if they are not known to us but when we know their need. Recognizing their needs makes us recognize the humanity in others and this is the divine quality or character that Christmas invites us to imbibe. Let us be the Christmas people who recognize our fellow human beings based on their needs.
We do not know who is who but we could be friendly to all: One day Abraham was sitting in his tent in a desert area. Suddenly he saw three strangers passing by. He welcomed them and offered them food and drink. Then, he came to know that they are divine people (Gen 18:1-18). This hospitality is needed today in a world filled with hostility. Christmas is the time where we need to fill the world with love and affection and to make ourselves and others realize that we are children of one and the same God.
This transformational attitude is the central theme of Christmas, especially when there is discrimination, oppression, injustice etc. In a village people were fighting with each other and there was no peace and harmony. The disturbed village leader went to the nearby monastery and poured out his anguish to a monk as the village was getting ready to celebrate Christmas. The monk told the village head that one of the villagers is the Messiah and the people should identify him before Christmas. When the villagers heard this they started looking at each other with respect, feeling that this one or that one might be the Messiah. The village became transformed and not only Christmas was a happy celebration, but also life in the village was Christmas for all. Let us then find out the Messiah in others in order to celebrate a life-long Christmas. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year 2023.
Francis P Xavier SJ
17Dec2022