Reality of Christmas and the passion

Sydney
26 January

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Reality of Christmas and the passion

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Reality of Christmas and the passion

By Adel Haddad

The joy of Christmas and the wrapping of gifts with all its paraphernalia is over. The magnificent Christmas trees and decorations have been put away for another year. Those who went overboard with their expenses are now meeting their high repayments. What started as simple joy has become a nightmare for many.

The spirit of Christmas has somehow been misunderstood by many and will continue to be so until the reality of Christmas re-emerges with its true meaning.

The passion of Christ will soon be celebrated. And, you've guessed it, the stores will display their unlimited choice of chocolates - from rabbit shapes to teddy bears for all ages. The meaning of Christ's passion will follow a similar pattern to Christmas.

It is great to share gifts with loved ones as long as the true spirit is the prime focal point of all festivities. Christmas and Easter must always carry their true meanings. At Christmas time, follow the three Magi into Christ's cave and with them offer your multitude of presents to Christ.

"What sort of presents?" you might ask. Your needs, petitions, prayers, thanksgivings and most of all "yourself". It is those gifts Christ will appreciate from you.

Another present Christ will surely be pleased to receive is your daily offering of whatever comes your way. Your troubles, your joys or even your laughter. All that will again surely please our Lord. Your Christmas gifts will then become a more personal relationship with Christ.

The passion of Our Lord, on the other hand, will be a continuation of the personal gifts you started at Christmas. Notwithstanding that, the passion will take on a different outlook and meaning altogether. Your relationship with Christ will have taken on a deeper understanding.

Your walk with Christ to Calvary again will seem so different from all those past years. And what gifts you might ask would you offer him? Again, "yourself".

Whether it's Christmas, Easter, or any solemnities, if you wish, your personal relationship with Christ will become more meaningful if you include all of yourself.

First and foremost, Christ came to take all your burdens and fears away. He wants you to enter without fear or doubt. To bring all of yourself to him. There is no need to hide behind a veil of fear.

His reciprocated gift to you is to shower you with his peace. He came as a friend and died as your brother. He asks nothing in return but to set you free from your fear and give you what he had for you from the very beginning of time - his eternal love.

Inside the cave, he had his arms outstretched in welcome. On the Cross, his arms were outstretched in the form of taking/accepting/receiving all your burdens, in other words yourself.

Enter the cave, walk his Calvary and stand at the foot of the cross without doubt or fear.

Adel Haddad is a member of the Catholic spirituality movement Cursillo (cursillo is Spanish for `little course').