December 2018 | Pentecost Volume XVI | Issue 12 | Rs. 150 Per Annum NCCI organizes National Ecumenical Youth Assembly 2018 2019 will be the Year of Festivals: CSI Synod Mission Board 2018 02 Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas Christmas EDITOR’S DESK “Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews; the Messiah”? Christmas is a festival of great joy; a everything was superficial and pretence. died an instant death. festival that invites everyone to embark In such a city, one will not find the child At the same time the Evangelist, on a lifelong exploratory pilgrimage. For who has been born King of the Jews. reminding his readers of the prophecy of the major protagonists of the Christmas Jerusalem had habitually killed the Micah, informs them: 'And you, story, Joseph and Mary, it was a prophets, had taken pride in burying Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by pilgrimage of understanding the truth, true religion and justice. Jerusalem no means least among the rulers of meaning and significance of life together, became symbolic of that space where Judah; for from you shall come a ruler comprehending what abiding love, religion had become a business, where who is to shepherd my people Israel” constant faith and lifelong commitment people were not allowed to worship (Matt. 2:6). Bethlehem, though it was the mean. In a world encircled by poverty without indulging in business, where birth place of David, the shepherd king, and violence, marginalization and money, power and authority were was a little-known, remote village, but exclusion, the victims of abusive powers, worshiped and glorified, where traditions endowed with tight-knit family ties and empire and injustice waited patiently for and rituals took the centre stage and bonds, where human relationships were a sign. The angels' 'Do not be afraid', and hijacked true religion, where traditions sacred and celebrated! The people in the rising of a star of the east gave new were honoured more than simple Bethlehem shared deep relationships, rays of hope amidst hopelessness to transforming faith, where insincerity, knowledge, understanding and they those who were perplexed, terrified and pretence, hypocrisy became the order of were a strong rock-like support to each frightened. As the shepherds began their the day, in such a city, one will not find the other. In fact, when Joseph wanted to quest to find the sign of liberation and child who has been destined to be the divorce Mary quietly, he was reminded of praise God, the three wise men from the Messiah. Naturally, the city and all its his Bethlehem roots and called to show east began their pilgrimage to see and citizens were terrified, perplexed and commitment and faithfulness even worship the Child, born to be the began scheming when the good news of under dire circumstances. In a family Messiah. Matthew, the evangelist allows the birth of a Messiah was announced to where there is mutual respect, care and the three wise men to voice out loudly them (Matt. 2:3). When the wise of this love, where faithfulness and commitment the central exploratory theme of his world, instead of faithfully following and are celebrated, where persons are Gospel “Where is the child who has been interpreting the signs of the times, give accepted as they are, respected for what born King of the Jews?” (Matt. 2:2) credence to rational instinct of looking they are, where people find a safe space, The Gospel of Matthew is all about for Messiah, the king among those who security and strong refuge, one will find answering the exploratory question. represent the subjugating empire, they the child who has been born King of the “Where is the child who has been born leave the innocent and defenceless Jews; the Messiah. King of the Jews?” Matthew gives a vulnerable. The result of the wise men Though Bethlehem was an under simple yet profound answer to begin visiting the temple of the subjugating developed village, it was known to be the with, that 'He is not in Jerusalem'. empire was straight forward. Terrified house of bread, as the people were an Jerusalem means city of peace, but it was Jerusalem in order to hide its agrarian community which produced neither a peace-loving nor a peace- vulnerability pounced on Bethlehem! food, yet remained poor, as they were making city. Rather, it was a town of The innocent, poor parents of Bethlehem oppressed, exploited by those in the power and authority, a 'masked' city, lost even the flickering hope, as their power and authority and their known for its show and sham, where children were massacred! Hopes of many middlemen and did not receive their due December 2018 03 for their hard work and labour. Yet in their people around him. In Him, people had a In Jesus' own words, in the least ones, in poverty they provided for the nation, making new vision of life, a new meaning, a new the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, and the others rich through their committed and direction. Jesus showed them how small innocent condemned to prison, in those faithful work in tilling, toiling and nurturing hope and insignificant vision could grow who form the crucified community, we mother earth. In every such place where into great heights like a mustard seed, meet Jesus the liberator (cf. Matt.25:40f). commitment and faithfulness to family, village, which though small, holds in itself the In Matthew, the risen Lord comes to his community and work are celebrated, one vision of the reign of God. In Him, they disciples, a community perplexed and will find the child who has been born King found the new values of the reign of God frightened by the turn of events and of the Jews; the Messiah. becoming realized in the last and the least brings the good news of peace. He Jesus lived in Galilee among marginalised, becoming significant and important. In encompasses them with the power of insignificant and common people, where Him, they realized the process of resurrection and the community he became the voice of God for them. He hierarchical relationships transforming resurrects itself to face the challenges was teacher par excellence of the masses, into communitarian distribution of that lie ahead. The risen one assures he showed them the path of justice and responsibilities, where slaves became them that he is not just the Immanuel, peace that they were to walk. He revealed friends and coworkers. They also learned God's abiding presence (cf. Matt.2:18), as to them the will of God, he inspired them how the insignificantly minute minority he walked and journeyed with them in and filled them with the courage to resist could be change-makers like salt that Galilee, but he would be with them and protest against the evil, and to do brings new taste, a qualitative difference to always as a reassuring, resurrecting and good. He taught them the art of making a the community's life, and like the light that empowering presence, to the end of the differentiation and knowing the difference resists darkness, bringing new expressions age (Matt.28:20). between what they ought to do and what of accountability, transparency and May we be given the grace to see, they should not do. In every such a place responsibility. In every such a place where recognize and follow the Messiah, the where people are enlightened and people gather together to celebrate an Immanuel in the expressions of abiding empowered by wise teaching that will inclusive koinonia of love, equality and love, constant faith and lifelong enable people to dare to walk in the path justice, one will find the child who has been commitment in our families and of justice and righteousness, one will find born King of the Jews; the Messiah. communities, in the revelation of God's the child who has been born King of the Ultimately, Matthew answers the theme goodness, in the educative voice, Jews; the Messiah. question “Where is the child who has through healing touch, as liberating He carried also everyone's burdens been born king of the Jews? in the presence, giving new identity to our selflessly and freely invited everyone, passion narrative. The charge on the communities, and in the revelation of “Come to me, all you that are weary and cross answered the question decisively: God's self-emptying love, true justice are carrying heavy burdens, and I will “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” and peace that would make our give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and (Matt.27:37). Messiah is neither in the communities filled with the power of learn from me; for I am gentle and humble pomp and sham of the city culture, nor in resurrection, not only at Christmastide, in heart, and you will find rest for your the superficial pretentious relationships. but also on each and every day. souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden The evangelist, in a very intelligent, yet With those who long for a caress, with is light” (Matt.11:28-30). In Him, people theological and cultural critique, also those who are looked down upon, with experienced the touch of God, as he inform the readers, when Jerusalem was those who experience only dust on the walked among them, as one who brought busy celebrating the Passover, the feast road, with those with calloused hands, healing. His accompaniment gave them of liberation, the King of Jews was with those who have neither shelter nor comfort and consolation, as he journeyed hanging on the cross, outside the city, in friend: In resisting and protesting against with them, they were filled with new a place called Golgotha (Matt.27:33).