Monday 25th December, 2023

Christmas has dawned with the message of peace, love and hope while the world is embroiled in multiple crises which have not spared even the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Bethlehem, under the shadow of war, is devoid of customary Christmas celebrations this year, according to media reports. Nothing will however diminish the spirit and joy of the blessed day, which gladdens the hearts of believers and others alike, the world over.

Never is the message of peace more cherished than in times of conflicts and crises, for it instills in all humans, regardless of their faith and creed, a sense of hope and purpose in life. That is the essence of Christmas.

The devastating effects of wars are not confined to the geographical locations where they are fought. The NATO-Russia war in Ukraine has had an unsettling effect on the entire world. The Gaza conflict, which has snuffed out thousands of lives so far, is fraught with the danger of spilling over with militants in neighbouring countries being drawn into it. The ceaseless bloodbath in that part of the world has made it abundantly clear that the UN is not equal to the uphill task of ensuring global peace anymore, and what prevails in the modern world is the law of the jungle in all but name.

For Sri Lankans, who have had their fair share of suffering, Christmas has come at a time when they are left with no alternative but to render unto the government what is its—enhanced taxes which are bound to aggravate their woes beyond measure come the dawn of 2024. There is also no guarantee that their tax rupees will be properly managed, given the insatiable greed of those at the levers of power.

Economic difficulties and social unrest are joined at the hip, and the prognoses about the coming year are gloomy. Calls for scaling down all celebrations, religious or otherwise, and prioritising the need to look after the needy over everything else are timely and most welcome.

The late Fr. Merceline Jayakody, venerated by all Sri Lankans for his boundless love for humanity, famously wrote: “Mage Naththala dugiya bath kana daya ….” (Roughly rendered into English, it means ‘my Christmas is the day when the poor can dull the pangs of hunger). As we pen this comment, we hear Elvis singing in his inimitable voice: “Oh, why can’t every day be like Christmas/ Why can’t that feeling go on endlessly/For if every day could be just like Christmas/What a wonderful world this would be …”

We are celebrating Christmas while the Sri Lankan police are carrying out an all-out operation called ‘Justice’ to achieve the ambitious goal of neutralising the netherworld of crime and drugs. Sadly, the family members of the Easter Sunday terror attacks (2019) are still crying out for justice, but the political authorities and the police do not care to heed their cries. When will justice be served to them? They have a right to know who actually masterminded the mindless terror attacks that destroyed the lives of their loved ones.

The government leaders have issued beautifully-worded Christmas messages, extolling the virtues of peace and love. If only they practised what they say in their messages.

May the Sri Lankan political leaders experience the same transformative power of Christmas as Scrooge in the Dickensian novella, A Christmas Carol, so that they will realise that the ultimate redemption is achievable only by embracing, love, compassion, empathy and a spirit of generosity!

Merry Christmas!