Christmas Message of Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo
Catholic Diocese of Oyo, Nigeria
Christmas is about Jesus and nobody else!
Merry Christmas to all! Please celebrate Christmas knowing that it is about Jesus Christ the saviour and nobody else! Consider even the spelling, Christ-mas! Anything done at this season must relate to Christ, to be authentic. Father Christmas, gifts, lights, decorations, cards, parties, food, etc, if they don’t point to Christ are meaningless, empty and false. Jesus is the reason for the season. Whether it is written as Christmas, Xmas or C-Mass, it is for Christ. Regrettably, there are too many people today who jettison the place of Jesus Christ in the season. They struggle to put Father Christmas, their business, their picnic, their media, their program, their party, their music, their excursion, meeting and other things at the center of the season. They are wrong! Ignore them! Don’t be like the hireling, still trying to steal the vine from the owner (Mt. 21:33-41). Celebrate because Christ is born, not because father Christmas, gifts or picnics have come.
At Christmas do more good action and less talk
At Christmas God showed his love to the world, took action and sent Jesus Christ to save (Jn 3:16). The angel took action by announcing his birth and helped the shepherds to find the baby (Lk 2: 9-12). The shepherds acted and went in a hurry to see him (Lk 2:15-18). We really have had more than enough talk about Christmas. How come our world is still so wounded? So much talk about love, peace, joy, justice, sharing. We sing and party so well. Yet we miss justice, love, sharing joy, forgiveness among us. Christmas is time now for positive action. More action, less talk! I call on everybody from top to bottom, politicians and businessmen, civil servants and traders, artisans and professionals, priests and people, young and old to do more good acts than “talk good talk” at this Christmas. Let even the media focus more on positive actors than on sweet speakers. Jesus said “It is not anyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).
At Christmas, give up something for others’ sake
Christmas is about giving. Give of yourself, your time your resources, your love. God took the love initiative and gave up his only son. Without that, there can be no Christmas. Mary gave up her time and status and went to visit Elizabeth (Lk. 1: 39ff), Joseph, because of Jesus, took positive action, gave up all his livelihood and took him to Egypt to protect the child from evil (Matt 2:13ff). Jesus himself gave up his life for our salvation. All who have the spirit of Christmas must get right up and give up something for the sake of others, a better life, a better family, a better church, society and a better world. That is the true Christmas spirit. Yes, we need less Christmas messages and more Christmas action. Call Davido, the Nigerian pop singer, “a Christmas ambassador” and I would agree with you. He raised 251 million naira (over 500,000 US dollars) from his admirers and gave it all away to orphanages all over Nigeria. What a Christmas gesture! All such spirit mirrors the Christmas spirit. How many Christmas messages can match that? Such is the spirit we must inculcate in ourselves, our family, our children, and our youth. It is the opposite of the current trend whereby everybody wants everything for themselves in a tragic and corrosive race of entitlement which is destroying our family, society and nation. Jesus came to give up his life. At this Christmas, what are you giving up?
At Christmas reconcile with God and others: God lives in everyone
At Christmas, work for reconciliation. Jesus came to reconcile man to God, and with each other, so that man can enjoy peace and freedom from sin and strife. That is the reason for Christmas. Must we go on quarrelling and fighting one another? “Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight”, said John the Baptist (Matt 3:3). “Be reconciled to one another and with God” said St. Paul (2Cor 5:20). God shows us that he powerfully manifests himself to everybody irrespective of class and status. At Jesus’ birth the angels came physically and spoke to the shepherds, who were simple and illiterate men. A star appeared rather to lead the cultured and educated wise men (Magi) from the east, who could read and interpret all the signs and symbols. But see the reality of life? The poor shepherds easily found Jesus in the manger but the wise men missed their way. They consulted King Herod for help and in the process almost jeopardised the security of Jesus. (Matt 2: 1-12) As the Bible says: It’s not by power nor by might, but by my spirit. No wonder that Mary’s Magnifcat affirms that the Lord has exalts the lowly and brings down the mighty! Let the world’s powerful and privileged folks pay attention.
Are you giving where it counts?
Lest we forget, at the birth of Jesus gifts were given to the baby in the manger, representing the marginalised, the weak and the needy, not to the kings, priests, the rich, the powerful, the comfortable. Where do your gifts go? Who is receiving your gifts at Christmas? Remember the ruler who asked Jesus: “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He had kept all the commandments and Jesus told him to sell everything and distribute to the poor in order to have treasure in heaven.
