The Mystique of Christmas Joy – by Oscar E V Fernando
“Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values”
What is Christmas asked Jack from John-why does it make people happy-joyfully enthusiastic-with silver bells and stars in a Christmas tree-making it so much a mystique
Mystique john said is food for the heart and soul to enable love and forgiveness and enthusiasm is-God within-so defined in the dictionary
Jack continued to say that only turkey and wine could induce this happiness and enthusiasm in Christmas-John said-it is so for those not aware or made to believe that Jesus is no God
why do you say Jesus is God asked Jack
read the bible both old and new with the mind’s eye open-follow teachings of the ‘Jesus instituted church’-to know Jesus is God-while some others woefully attempt to deny this and insist, he is only man-but more of that later-just for now-why this Joy at Christmas-said John
Yes-we sniff this enthusiasm at Christmas-may be a day fixed so appropriate to celebrate-so what?-some do gorge themselves with fancy clothes and goodies to eat and meet-try their inebriated best to find that joy-they sing and swing their hands-tap their feet-all for good-only if they do think of others-but do they experience that joy-with no such thought-no-no- perhaps-a carnal pleasure for a while to wallow in that so called happiness and love of self-
it dawns on some others to love neighbor as self-then look around-for those others much less fortunate-what do they see-bodies naked-eyes red-noses wet-hungered mouths-waiting-waiting for that crunch of bread first for the hungry worms and then for their own turn
can we ever feel joy on seeing the wailing and suffering outside-and shout with a sarcastic pleasure of a Mary Antoinette looking down from the balcony-to throw a piece of cake to meet the hunger of those groaning in discomfort and weakness with a desire to eat-and then force a grin of sadistic joy
or like scrooge in Dickensian Christmas-having a tableful of turkey and wine to gorge and satisfy his melancholic depression-looks out his window-sees the sad and hungry bellies-invites them to share his bountiful table-and be transformed into that happy-joyful and enthusiastic scrooge-leaping for Joy from then on-realizing-we must love neighbor as self
Yes friends-this COVID-Christmas-let us turn a scrooge to the less fortunate and experience the leap of Joy that follows Christmas Sharing.
Oscar E V Fernando
Christmas 2020
