Near the pool called Bethesda Jesus met a man who was an invalid for thirty-eight years. The man was waiting for someone to help him get into the pool when the water was stirred. Jesus asked him whether he wanted to get well. The man must have been feeling comfortable reclining on the bed. Very often we also are reluctant to move out of doing the same thing over and over again. Even during Christmas season we continue in our comfortable way of celebrating Christmas in the usual traditional way. Do we bother to find another way of celebrating Christmas? The best way to celebrate Christmas is by developing an interest to live like Christ. After all that’s why Christ came into this world. He came so that we can be redeemed and live a life as He did. We need to end our state of rest on the mat of indifference and selfish preoccupation and ask our soul, “Do you want to be well?”

The man was focused on the water and the angel and failed to see the heavenly physician who was standing next to him. During the Christmas celebrations as we lie recumbent on our usual traditional carol singing, Christmas parties, angels, manger, carol rounds, etc. We tend to miss the core essence of Christmas. Just as Jesus was standing near the invalid with a solution Jesus is close to us with a solution to bind our wounded heart and heal our bruised soul. Are we conscious of His mighty presence? Or are we engrossed in erecting Babel crib and producing sky touching Santa Claus. The man was glued to the mat which represents all his former attempts and failures, his bitterness and resentment. He was enslaved by the failures of the past, pain and disappointment of the present and the hopelessness of the future. Jesus set him free from all that. The birth of Jesus is an event to celebrate the deliverance of mankind, birth of hope and joy and possibility of restoration.

Let us shift our focus from the traditional repetitions of festival routine and surrender ourselves to Him without whom there can be no celebration in our life. Let the Christmas season help us to rededicate our lives as a fragrant offering to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Dr. (Mrs.) Edriana Jeyasingh