CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Christmas is the annual Christian’s celebration or festival of the birth of Christ on 25th of December of every year. Advent heralded the period of Christmas. Advent is from Latin (Adventus) which means coming. It is the period with four Sundays before Christmas. Christmas is a very important religious season for us Christians just like the period of Idel fitri, Kabir, Salaam etc is important to our Moslem brothers.This period is not only the season of celebration of the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ. It is also a special period of reflection for us Christians. It is a moment of prayers and alms giving.

The period of Christmas is so terrific and celebrated by all, here in my country people normally travel home for their celebration. Apart from the celebration of Christmas, it is also a period most people commit many atrocities in the name of Christmas celebrations like stealing to maintain the social status, adultery, hoarding, licentiousness, killings through sacrifices or rituals, robbery, promiscuity, profligacy to mention but a few.

Many Christians are intoxicated by this dynamic but important season of Christmas. It is a period people show of their wealth and riches. It is a period some Christians who don't participate in church's activities donates generously in other that their name will be praised. It is a period of savagery, it is not many people that travel home for Christmas celebrations that return safely and healthy. Some living in the village uses this opportunity to annihilate and bewitches their enemy living abroad yet some of them are Christians. Christmas is a Joyful moment to the world especially we Christians. It is a period of private meditation and devotion, it is a period we confess our sins, it is a period we remember the Hoi polloi (common) people among us, it is a period we thank God for the gift of his son Jesus Christ who came to salvage us from sin, hardship and punishment.

Finally Christmas is a period Christians should thank God for their lives. It is a period we venerate the saints (Dulia), it is a season we honor Blessed Virgin Mary (Hyperdulia) through whom God was made man in Christ Jesus. And it is a moment we Christians should worship God (Latria) in a special way for giving us his only begotten son to be born of a woman for our salvation and freedom. (Viva Christians).

RELIGION & FREEDOM

Religion is the belief in the existence of gods or god, who have created the universe and given man a spiritual nature, which continues to exist after the death of the body.

Religion theologically could be defined 'as man's awareness and recognition of his dependent relationship on a transcendent being'. The purpose of religion is to promote peace to man. God wants peace in every religion and in every religious adherent. Mother Theresa of Calcutta stated this clearly that peace begins with just a smile. Therefore every religion must be in peace, any religion which cannot encourage or promote peace is not worth calling a religion. Religion binds and unites people, communities, tribes, nations and countries together. Religion never started to bring differences, wars and destruction.

There are many religions in the world; few of them I know are Christianity, Islamic, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrians, Buddhism and African traditional religion. Christianity and Islamic religion are the two main religions in the world and there are often differences between this two religion in some country. Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity and the champion of human freedom while Mohammed is the founder of Islam, which promotes peace too. The two religions are from the same origin Jewish religion or Judaism.

Many people has been mislead and wrongly thought not to preach the truth and what is morally and ethically accepted in the eyes of God and man. Many countries were at war today because of lack of religious tolerance. Sectarian violence is increasing every day, religious radicalism, fundamentalism, fascism and even terrorist attacks and threats. Some of these just started because of hatred and lack of understanding and accommodation to one another in different religions.

Religion is transmitted socially and not biologically. Religion is to promote unity, love and peace. Pope John Paul II of blessed memory was a champion of peace he reached out to all religions. Even Pope benedict XVI his successor is also preaching peace and unity to all religions especially between Christians and Moslems. His recent visit to turkey, his meeting with the orthodox patriach and the istanbul famous blue Mosque also centered on religious tolerance and freedom. Every religious adherent should therefore recognize that religion was there to help man who is a religious animal to attain eternal salvation. All religion and their adherents should preach peace, love and dialogue instead of violence. When we realize that peace is the essence of religion all we smile to one another like mother Theresa of India said abinitio, and the world will be a better place for all and God will have honor, praise and glory.

JESUS CHRIST THE TRUE FOUNDATION

Foundation literally means principle, idea or fact on which something is based or layer of bricks, concrete etc. Every building has a foundation, the building whose only real foundation is Jesus Christ.

WHAT FOUNDATION REALLY MEANS

Foundation is the source from which something originates. According to Isa: 48:13, God made it clear that my hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them they stand forth together.

The foundation must be firm and effective, Christ is the foundation for Christian believers. Our faith is in him, if we don t have strong faith in times of temptation we will fall just like how storm, flood and wind will pull down a foundation that is not well established.

If Jesus is not the foundation for us Christians there can be no foundation. God can test but does not tempt and deceives. Satan is not the alternative because he has come to kill, destroy and not to support any structure which foundations stands for.

There are reasons why some people probably will not start with a foundation while building a house. It could be as a result of laziness, spending unwillingly, excessive and selfish desire for wealth, power or looking for easier ways.

Some Christians are yet to believe the fact that Jesus Christ is the only foundation. Some foundation can be destroyed especially those assumed to be true when actually they are not strong and viable.

Every Christian’s faith is rooted in Christ and must come from God. Because Jesus is the beginning and end, infinite, ultimate, transcendental and immanent. Let us put all our faith in the foundation of Jesus Christ, which is the final.

CHRISTIANITY IN PRACTICE

Christianity is the belief that Christ was the son of God, and of his teachings, a Christian in the other hand is the adherent of Christianity
A practical Christian is another Christ or Christ like (Alter christus) and Ambassador of Christ (Legatus Christi) on earth. To be a real Christian requires a lot of sacrifices and unconditional love, for God is love. According to John 3:16-18 the highest _expression of God’s love for us mankind is the gift of Jesus Christ the only son of God as a sacrifice for the sin of the whole world. This is the climax of God’s love for mankind, and a practicing Christian should be ready to sacrifice all for the love and glory of God. Anyone who calls himself an authentic Christian should prove that by being a light to others, because it is only when you have the light in you that you can enlightens others around you and that’s what enlightenment stands for in the Christian aspect.
In the Gospel of John 3:19; 8:12.9:1-5; 12:33 -36, 1:1-7 Jesus discusses the essence of light as he is the light of the world. He came to the world so that people might have light, yet many people have darkness, because of their evil deeds. Anybody who genuinely follows Jesus will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus knew the Jewish belief that illness was the consequence of sin, for the disciples questioned him on this in the case of a man born blind. Jesus told them that the man’s blindness was a manifestation of the work of God while it was Day, for in the Night, no one would work”, they had to accept the messiah now, that they have the opportunity to do so, and otherwise they would become the sons of darkness as his people who had rejected him. John the Baptist declared that he was not the light, but he came to bear witness to the light and that the light is Jesus Christ. So every Christian should be a source of light to his communities, neighbours, friends, families and even to enemies.
A total Christian is one who is morally upright no matter your status in the church or government. You have to be conscientiously consistent, and keep the commandments of God. A real Christian is one who loves God as well as his fellow man. A good Christian does not love God and hates his fellow man even if he is a renowned sinner, for it is crystal clear that we should love our brother sinners but hate his sins, and pray for his repentance. A practical Christian does not discriminate against anyone,” Our Society today is always divided into two groups of people: the rich and the poor, the high and the low, the black and the white, the bright and dull, the healthy and the sick, the beautiful and the ugly, the intelligent and the unintelligent, the powerful and the powerless, the saints and sinners, the wise and foolish, the learned and unlearned, the heroes and hooligans, the sons of the soil and the outcaste, the accepted and the ostracized, the dwarfs and giants.”
Love is of God and he who loves is born of God and knows God. John 13:34 -33; 15:12 -13 “A new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another.” This is clear command of Jesus Christ on love on to all Christians.
A true Christian should always be cheerful irrespective of the Ups and Down, challenges, denials, ordeals and trials in life. A practical Christian should always depicts the image of God (Imago Dei) and not like hypocrites who will like people to know when they are praying or fasting.
Further more, Mary the mother of God should be a Model for every Christian. Since her presence every were and anytime is filled with Joy. Therefore every Christian should be a source of joy and antidote or opium to sadness and in difficult times. A practical Christian should be Modest, and prayerful, because prayer is the only weapon we have to annihilate the devil and remain steadfast in the lord as a Christian. A good Christian should be respectful, tolerates other religion and above all be sincere in what ever we do no matter our vocation be it a priest, bishop, doctor, nurse, lawyer, carpenter, pilot to mention but a few. We Christian must try our very best to carry out our work diligently, especially by recognizing that every thing comes from God and to him must all thing return.
Finally a practical Christian should have trust, hope and faith in God in times of hardship. A true Christian is not one that goes to church and ambidextrously consult oracles, traditionalist, believe in the power of witches and charms. Only the absolute faith in God the almighty and good works is required for our Christianity to be authentic and practical.