E (everlasting) - life? I (my) - life?

Walking the streets of Baltimore, Maryland, I noticed in July products for Halloween on display; Halloween is usually celebrated in October. In early September I began to hear some jingles in advertisements that had a hint of Christmas music, and it was not even thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in America. We live in a world that allows for the creation and fast exchange of user generated content. Media especially social media can have an overt or a very subtle impact. This influences collective memory and discourse. Celebrations thus become marketable commodities that media uses to work at our unconscious. The deeper meaning of feasts often loses out to fun, color and festivity.

In the Christian tradition in America, Halloween falls on the “Eve of all Hallows (saints)” i.e. October, 31st. Thanksgiving is celebrated in commemoration of the first pilgrims who gave thanks to God for guiding them safely to the new world. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. The question is what does the birth of the Christ child bring to our awareness today? How can the celebration of Christmas have a deeper meaning for us along with the fun and festivities? The celebration of Jesus’ birth is a reminder of e (everlasting) – life promised us.

The birth of Christ brings us new life through a tangible awareness of God. We experience the life of God in ourselves, as promised by Jesus who said, “Because I live you will live also” (Jn 14:19). It is an offering of new meaning to relationships, for living in God means remaining in Love. This Love embraces our relationship with others (Jn 15:9-17).  The experience of this Love, through the birth of Jesus is one of the clearest signs by which we know that we have passed from death to life (1 Jn 3:14 -15). Love and intimacy in turn produce characteristic Christian joy and what joy could be greater than the celebration of the birth of Jesus, over and over again, a reminder of his great Love. Believers live because they hear the voice of the Son of God resounding within them (Jn 5:25).

Christmas is about Christ the divine life-giver who came to give life to the world (Jn 6:33). He is called the bread of life (6:35, 48), the light of life (8:12) or simply the life (11:25; 14:6). He reveals this life to us symbolically in his signs (healings, feeding, raising). This life is given to all who accept his revelation and believe in him. For believers it means liberation from the power of death and the breaking down of the barrier of death, not only in a hope for the future but also in life here and now.

Jesus comes as light and life into our hearts, enriching and enlightening us. On receiving this light we become bearers of the light and life-givers in the midst of life-negating realities. We become rays of hope in the midst of despair and disappointment. Ultimately, Christmas reminds us of our responsibility to be part of God’s liberating grace and co-creators of his kingdom because “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1: 14). The divine life is experienced every day and is kindled and rekindled, as often as we nourish it. As this life and light grows in us, Christ’s work, his joy, peace and love will shine through.

In this world of “I”, with iphones, ipods, iheart radio, let our lives be tinged with “e”  i.e (everlasting) so that all that we do electronically, whether its e-commerce, e-mail, social media, is tinged with THIS “e- life.” Let us build on what we believe in, in this life and hold fast to the true spirit of Christmas.  With the same speed with which we communicate, greet and meet electronically, let us equally fast, spread cheer and joy by being healers, and life-givers. On Christmas day as we exchange wishes, gifts and cheer¸ let us enable this deeper meaning. It is a joyous occasion for God shared Himself with us, through his Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe we can tweet, text or email our contacts saying “Jesus is born” thus giving e-life to our relationships.