A Christmas Reflection

By Rev. Dr. Joseph Komar | Director of Centre for Missions & Evangelism

Overwhelming anxiety gripped most Malaysians after PRU 15. In the lead-up to the formation of a unity government, leaders were willing to set aside past grievances and make apologies unprecedented in Malaysian politics. A renewed hope that good governance shall prevail and the new government will focus on the well-being of her subjects. Against this backdrop, we usher in advent. Behold I make all things NEW. Rev. 21:5 reminds us why Jesus Christ intentionally took on the nature of a servant (Philippians 2:6-7).  The Church exists because God has a mission and embodies this nature to serve the community.  This original mission is where the heart of the Church needs to be; this is where all our Christmas celebrations must focus.

Mary’s hymn in Luke 1: 46-55 gives us a glimpse of the transforming dimensions or implications of what the birth of Jesus entails for the community. The nativity scenes in most churches do not give due justice to this young teenage pregnant girl who sang this revolutionary song. Here the poor and the marginalized take center stage and are given priority. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian; executed by the Nazis, called Mary’s song of praise “the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary hymn ever sung.”  This hymn is a song of hope – good news for the broken, the dysfunctional, a community yearning for respect and dignity. The agenda of God revealed in his son Jesus Christ must become the agenda of the Church. Our Christmas needs to move away from a member-centric celebration to being other or non-member centric. Our celebrations must be missional.

Christmas is a reminder of the continuing work of Christ in us, through us and to all His creation. In moments like now, when our nation seeks a way forward to bring positive and complimentary change, Jesus Christ, sent by the Father, to redeem, restore and reconcile what is close to his heart, must be embodied by the Church. Our neighbourhood must not see Christmas as just a festival that Christians celebrate but see that in this celebration lies hope for all. Not just an idea or a vision but a reality. As recipients of this grace, we must realize this is the turning point. Let our community be a blessing to the nation.