Christmas is more than a memorial

With this God promised a kingdom that is secure, peaceful but will last forever, built around David. The prophets re-echoed this, “a shoot will spring from the stock of Jesse, a new shoot will grow from his roots. On him will rest the spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of wisdom and insight, the spirit of […]

With this God promised a kingdom that is secure, peaceful but will last forever, built around David. The prophets re-echoed this, “a shoot will spring from the stock of Jesse, a new shoot will grow from his roots. On him will rest the spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of wisdom and insight, the spirit of counsel and power…”(Is.11:1ff). This is the message of peace and hope, which the Lord gave to David. This is the real message of advent, a period of waiting for the fulfilment of the promises of God.

It is the message of the Second reading taken from letter of St. Paul to the Romans. According to St Paul, “Jesus Christ is the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages…This is what the scripture has predicted and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be”(Rom.16:25ff). We pray for the coming of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of peace, unity and love.

In the gospel reading, angel Gabriel appeared to a virgin betrothed to a man, called Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. “Rejoice so highly favoured! The Lord is with you…Listen you are to conceive and bear a Son and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be the son of the Most High. The Lord will give him the throne of his ancestor David, he will rule over the house of Jacob forever and his reign will have no end” (Lk.1:26ff).

An Advent

Advent is from Latin word ‘Adventus’ which means ‘coming’. The Latin ‘adventus’, is a Greek translation of ‘parousia’ which commonly is used in referring to the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Mt.25:31ff). Thus advent is both the original waiting done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah and the waiting of Christians for Christ return from heaven. The first two Sundays of advent focus on the second coming of Jesus while the last two Sundays of advent focus on the birth of Christ at Christmas.

Advent as a period of Waiting

Advent invites us to wait actively for the coming of Christ, like Simeon. The scripture described him, “as an upright and devout man, he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It has been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord” (Lk.2:22ff). He sang the Nunc dimittis when this revelation came.

Christmas more than celebration

As the celebration calls for active waiting and preparation, it therefore goes beyond an ordinary remembering or memorial. Every year our beloved country celebrates its independence anniversary. This is just a memorial. Many people celebrate their birthdays, it is just a memorial.

A friend told a story, his Christmas experience in a country. Two months before Christmas, houses were decorated, flowers became very costly, Christmas trees beautifully designed and well placed in strategic places, Christmas lights beautified the city. It was wonderful to behold. It became more interesting with the beautiful whitish environment presented by snows. Christmas carols were sung, theatres became very busy with people coming in to watch concerts, and carols of different lessons, some nine lessons, some two or three as the case may be. The atmosphere was charged with Christmas.

Then, on Christmas, the holy priest was early enough at mass, having encouraged the family where he was staying to attend. Behold, on a most awaited Christmas day, only four very old women were in the church, with an old priest and a deacon who was older than the priest. People spent the Christmas Eve, dancing, partying, marrying, in the club/party houses. They celebrated Christmas without Christ.

Christmas is a celebration, a memorial ushered in by four weeks of active waiting, which opens one to a religious experience of the real birth of Christ. It is a type of memorial called re-enactment. It is something that happens again, but at the spiritual, a celebration that fills our hearts with joy that Jesus is born to the world.

Our consolation

Nigeria just like many countries of the World needs more than ever, the fulfilment of prophesy analysed above. We need the coming of the king of peace. Jesus is the king of love, peace, Justice, fairness and equity. The coming of Christ becomes increasingly important, at a time when the line of division Nigeria is becoming ticker. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider, the youths are dejected and depressed, some are disoriented and disenchanted, like sheep without a shepherd.

Our consolation and joy is that Jesus is coming. When he comes, just like Isaiah prophesied, there will be peace. May the coming of Christ bring peace in the land, justice to the oppressed, satisfaction to the hungry, joy to the sorrowful, freedom to the prisoners, wholeness to the sick, faithfulness to the tepid souls. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Ndubisi writes from the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja