The Hindu : Front Page : Reconciliation between man and his maker

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Sunday, Dec 24, 2006
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Reconciliation between man and his maker

Christmas symbolises God's unfathomable love for mankind; it is essentially spiritual and sanctifies the minds of believers

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CHENNAI : It's Christmas once again. That is an excuse for consumption orgies in many parts of the world. But, what is the true import of Christmas? The Bible says that Christmas is the greatest reconciliation that has ever happened under the sky — the reconciliation between man and his maker — and that it symbolises God's eternal love for mankind. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten (not created) son, so that whoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Going by the Bible, Christmas marks the beginning of Christ's redemptive mission, which culminated in his crucifixion at Calvary 33 years later, as atonement for the sins of Adam and his descendants. To get the true meaning of Christmas it is necessary to understand who Christ is. Is Jesus Christ a mere mortal who became a prophet later like many before him or is he something else? Christian dogma says that he is the eternal Word, (corresponding to the `Vak Brahma' of the Hindu Vedas) the second person of the Holy Trinity; infinite, omnipotent, and omnipresent, without beginning or end. The Bible says that all creations in Heaven and in Earth, both living and non-living, owe their existence to him and that he is the architect of life.

The nativity

But then why did he become a man? The nativity (the birth of the eternal Word as a man) of Christ is due to something that happened in the Garden of Eden. Most people think that Christmas and Christ have their origin at the manger in Bethlehem. But that is not true. The roots of Christmas extend four millenniums back (the Judeao-Christian tradition believes that mankind is 6,000 years old) to the Garden of Eden.

The first man Adam and his wife Eve were asked by their creator to keep away from a particular tree called the `tree of knowledge' and not to eat its fruit. (This is an actual fruit and not a metaphor for sex.) But Eve fell to the prodding of the devil and ate its fruit, and Adam too ate it under her influence. An angry God expelled them from paradise. But before casting them away He promised them salvation and an end to their woes at a later date.

Christ, actually the God Almighty, who created Adam and expelled him from paradise, became a man and came into this world, to fulfil the promise, which he himself had made millenniums ago. This is the essence of Christmas, the grand reconciliation between man and his maker. But why should the creator himself become a man to save mankind? The reason is that all men are inheritors of Adam's original sin and are therefore unfit to offer themselves as ransom for the sin of their forefather. Only a man born without the burden of Adam's sin can offer himself as ransom for the sins of mankind, and this is what made the creator himself to become a man.

Prophecies

There are several prophecies in the Bible regarding the Redeemer, from his virgin birth to his death on the cross, and resurrection, and it is a wonder of wonders that all of them find fulfilment in Christ, including the one relating to St. John the Baptist, who is known as the Herald of Christ.

Although the roots of Christmas extend to the Garden of Eden, its immediate history begins with the birth of St. John the Baptist. St. John was born to Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth in their old age.

Meanwhile, Archangel Gabriel appeared to a girl named Mary and told her that she had been chosen the mother of the saviour. He also told her that she would become pregnant and give birth to a son, and that he should be named Immanuel. When Mary asked how this could happen as she was unmarried and had not known a man, the angel replied that she would become pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that her son would be known as the Son of God.

Angel Gabriel also told her that her cousin Elizabeth was now pregnant in her old age.

Mary was betrothed to one Joseph. When he came to know that his fiancée was pregnant, he decided to cast her off.

But an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him that Mary had "become pregnant by divine will and tell him not to hesitate, in taking her as his wife." Joseph dispelled all his doubts and decided to marry Mary.

Mary who was pregnant paid a visit to her cousin Elizabeth and as she saw Mary she felt the baby jumping in joy, and filled with the Holy Spirit she said, "How fortunate I am to host the mother of my creator." (Luke 1:43) Elizabeth was the first person to call Mary, the mother of the creator and her baby as the Word of God manifest.

The months passed on and it was time for Mary to give birth to her son. At that time Palestine was under the Roman empire and Emperor Augustus Caesar issued a proclamation that a census would be taken and ordered everybody to go back to their hometowns. Joseph and Mary travelled to their hometown Bethlehem. Soon it was time to give birth. Joseph tried to get a room in an inn, but failed and she gave birth in a manger. Tradition holds that Mary did not experience any pain while giving birth, as the curse of painful childbirth, which Eve had got from God, had been lifted in her case.

Spiritual

The glad news of the saviour's birth was announced to the world by the heavenly host, which appeared to a group of shepherds grazing their flock.

Meanwhile, three wise men from the East who saw a new star in the sky recognised it as a divine sign heralding the birth of a king. The three wise men followed the star and reached the manger where Christ was born. They saw the child, gave him presents and worshipped him. As Christmas symbolises God's unfathomable love for mankind, it is essentially spiritual and in no way does it condone the consumption orgies indulged in by many in its name.

In apostolic churches (the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches) Christmas is preceded by a 25-day lent. This is intended to sanctify the minds and souls of believers.

The high point of Christmas is the midnight mass. The word Christmas itself means Mass of Christ. The Christmas Mass is celebrated at midnight, as that is the approximate hour at which Christ was born. Christmas celebrates the union of the Heaven and the Earth, and the mercy of God.

Asha Mary Mathew,

Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram

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