Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BOAKYE YEBOAH

CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF KUMASI, GHANA.

THE CHRISTMAS JOY

            I have qualified the phrase “Christmas joy” with a definite article (the) for a reason. We celebrate a lot of joyful moments every year – be it our birthdays or an anniversary of an important life’s event but none of them can be compared to the joy that comes with the Christmas celebration. Even the non-believers and atheists have tried to distance Christ from this season by changing the name to “Holiday Season” but they can testify that they cannot erase the joy that Christmas brings. Christmas is Christmas no matter how some people try to defuse it.

            Because today is the day above all joyous days we should be happy and make merry and nothing should deny someone of this joyous moment for it comes once in a year. Don’t postpone your Christmas to next year because life is not in your hands.

            I would like to give you the reason why we need to be happy today no matter the life situation we find ourselves in. This feast day transcends time, events in life and the decisions of man.

            It transcends time because its euphoric nuance cannot be fixed with a particular time, era or century. Those who first heard “the Emmanuel” prophecy cannot be happier than those who witness the birth of the Emmanuel; neither can those who witnessed his birth be more blissful than those who celebrates his birth now. The Christmas joy is infectious in every time, era or century. This is an eternal joy which is always active. The inspired writer picked his words very well in Isaiah 7:10-14. The prophet Isaiah employed the present continuous tense when he first announced the Emmanuel prophecy. The prophet was clear when explain the meaning of the name “Emmanuel.” He said, it means “God is with us.” He did not say “God was with us” neither did he put it in the future that “God will be with us.” His statement was emphatic: “God is with us” and if God is with us then how can an era, time or century monopolize the joy that comes with the Christmas festivities? Any joy that is fashioned from heaven cannot lose its eternal character in time neither can its potency be defined with a particular century or era. This is the first reason why this particular joy needs to be described with a definite article – “The”. This is indeed a joyous moment without comparism.

            Secondly, no life’s situation or event should prevent a person from celebrating Christmas with a joyous heart. I have heard many reasons why this Christmas cannot be joyous. The chief reason being the economic hardship facing many countries. I have heard from friends in Europe, America and elsewhere but the situation in Ghana has become unbearable though we have seen slight signs of relief in recent weeks. The economic indicators are positive but the pockets of the masses are still very dry. The economic reason can be used by a parent to deny his/her child a new Christmas dress or shoe or even a delicious Christmas chicken soup, characteristic of a Ghanaian Christmas meal but theological if “the Christmas joy” is assessed with something material then we lose the key point. As much as the material things we use to celebrate Christmas are important, the real Christmas joy transcends anything earthly.

            The economic situation that surrounded the birth of Christ was terrible. We are told that Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth but by the time that Mary was nearing delivery something brought them to Joseph’s hometown - Bethlehem. What was it? Apparently, Rome was experiencing an economic recession and so Rome devised a plan to rescue its economic situation. A census was pronounced by Rome but this time it was not a census of people but of property (as confidently cited in Pope Benedict XVI’s book - Jesus of Nazareth). It is believed that Rome thought if it knew the number of properties owned by the citizens of Palestine, it would be able to organize its tax system very well. Things were tough and yet the Angels told the shepherds to rejoice because the joy that came with the birth of the savior of the world transcended economic situations. The poor nature of the birth place of Jesus neither could erase the joy that was announced by the Angels.

            If that was the case then, then we cannot use economic reasons to deny ourselves the joy that comes with Christmas celebrations. If one has to borrow and make merry today, then it is worth it. Some years ago, when I work as a priest among the Yorubas of Nigeria, I learnt something from the Egbo Yorubas. The Egbos are known in Nigeria as stingy people but this inherit attitude of theirs does not affect their merry making moments like Christmas. I once witnessed a Christmas party organized by a night watchman and I was surprised with the kind of things I saw at the party. His simple remark to calm my shock was that: “Father, Christmas does not come every day and so we need to be happy today then we continue life struggles tomorrow” – aha! What a philosophy cum theology – mama mia! Please do not deny yourself “the Christmas joy.”

            The third reason is that the joy God showers on us during the Christmas season cannot be impeded by anybody or a philosophy of life. Remember when God first thought of the “Emmanuel” prophecy, Ahaz told God that he does not want it but his refusal to accept the prophecy did not stop God from blessing us with it. As regards philosophies of life; even if some people call Christmas season the holiday season that does not change anything because an ontological nature of a thing or a being does not change with decorations. Let no one stop you from being happy in the Lord today. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.